Canning season has been in full swing now for about two months already, but now the push is on as local apples, pears and peaches are becoming available and the garden is getting ready for the final harvest. I had a great blueberry harvest this year and froze the majority of them to be used in muffins and pancakes this coming winter. We had so many black currants that ripened on our plants at the store that we picked those, and I made jam with them this year. I made a simple jam with just the currants, lemon juice and sugar. There are so many things that can be canned and stored for later use saving you money on that grocery bill that gets higher every week. Now I’m not going to write a “how to” guide for canning, there has been plenty written already, but I am going to tout the benefits of canning and freezing as it can save you money in the long run. It will cost more the first year as canning jars will be needed, but they can be reused year after year. I am still using jars that came from my grandmother over twenty years ago. We sell loads of canning jars every year because even though they can be reused every year, many people make special homemade items that are used as gifts. We have had jars purchased for wedding favors, moonshine, bath bombs, cookie and cake mix, barbeque rubs and, of course, jellies. Jar lids can be purchased separately to replace old worn lids that may not seal properly anymore, so that the jars can be used for years to come. So once you have a good supply of jars, you can reuse them every year for canning everything from peas, beans, carrots and corn to peaches, apples, cherries and pears. If you have a garden, you need canning jars. It seems every year that something grows better than expected. One year we had so many cherry tomatoes off of just three plants that Vicki ended up making six quart jars of spaghetti sauce out of them. We usually grow plenty of cucumbers so that Vicki can make pickles, but with the move this year we didn’t get to have a big garden, but that will get fixed next year. But just because we didn’t use jars for pickles this year doesn’t mean they are not going to get used. I’ve already made three times the amount of jelly this year than any year in the past decade and the apples and pears aren’t even ready yet. Apple jelly, apple butter, apple sauce, not to mention fresh or hard cider. All of these items can be stored in canning jars so that you can capture all the flavors of fall to enjoy all winter long and into next season. You don’t have to wait for a can can sale at the supermarket to save big on canned fruits and vegetables if you do it yourself. I will have to admit though that it is time consuming, but if you do it with other family members, the time spent together is invaluable. Now that I am getting closer to retiring I find that I have more time now to enjoy all the things that I couldn’t before because I was so busy at work. Now, of course, my kids are too busy with their own work to enjoy canning, but luckily my grandchilden are getting old enough to enjoy spending time in the kitchen with Grammy and Poppy.