Growing and Canning

Last fall, I made grape jam and I think I can say, with some confidence, it may be the most delicious thing I've ever cooked. Bold statement, maybe, but there -- I've said it.

The jam came into fruition (pardon the pun) after a bunch of Concords I'd bought at the market started to wilt a little too fast and made for less than ideal snacking. With relative ease -- on a work night, no less -- I canned half a dozen jars of the the deepest, sweetest, richest purple perfection. Looking at it and smelling it is almost as satisfying as eating it. I have but two jars left.

Lovely to think about canning fresh, homegrown stuff in the depths of winter. Even lovelier if you were thinking about it -- and actually doing it -- this past harvest season, in which case you're reaping the benefits now.

As it turns out, a lot of people are interested in canning and preserving nowadays. Which is why the folks at Everdale Farms, a working farm and environmental learning centre in Hillsburgh, are headed to Kitchener in March to enlighten us about "putting up," among other things.

The farm is offering two different day-long workshops in the area in the coming weeks. The first is set for Saturday, March 28 and will teach participants -- both novice and experienced -- how to plan their own organic vegetable garden. The second, held in conjunction with The Working Centre in downtown Kitchener on Saturday, April 4, will tell you all about how to preserve fresh food. 

Though Everdale is always running workshops on sustainable living, and has brought eco-building clinics to the Waterloo region in years past, the area's strong food community was the impetus for bringing these particular topics to town, says Lynn Bishop, who coordinates Everdale's workshops. Canning, especially, was a no-brainer.

"People have been asking about it and we're excited about that," she says. "I tried offering a canning workshop seven or eight years ago and it wasn't well attended. But now people are interested in putting up Ontario food and having a variety so they can eat locally in winter. And that way you can also have your little specialty items in your pantry that no one else has."

Farmer and chef Cathy Hansen will be running the canning workshop and will be talking about specialized sauces, pickles, applesauce and various other things -- both "things you eat often or things that are a nice side to go with a main course," says Bishop. "Cathy will give you recipe ideas you wouldn't even think of. She's so into food."

Also helpful, says Bishop: the information provided will ease some of the paranoia about things like botulism that make many of us too afraid to preserve wholeheartedly.

"It gives people the courage to do it," she says. "They worry, 'Isn't there danger in it?' Once people have that one session with someone, their questions are answered, they've seen the process and they understand it better. They can go on and read a book and not be so, 'Am I doing this right?' "

As for planning a food garden, Bishop encourages anyone who's even had thoughts about growing their own vegetables to try. Myself, I've always figured my yard didn't get enough sun and I was out of luck, save for a few pots of herbs and tomatoes. But Bishop says I'm wrong.

"Anybody's yard is suitable," she says. "You can have a pretty small garden and can produce quite a bit of food. You don't need great soil because you can make raised beds and create good soil. You do need a certain amount of sun, but if you had half-shade or dappled sun, there are still certain vegetables you could grow."

Everdale manager Gavin Dandy will advise people on what kind of seeds to get, how many and where to buy and plant them. He'll also talk composting and mulching.

"It's totally valuable to beginners but also to experienced gardeners," says Bishop. "There's lots of room to ask complicated or complex questions, too."

Say goodbye to store-bought jam. And start dreaming of homemade dills. Even if it's only February.

For further information on both workshops, click here. Or give the farm a ring at 519-855-4859.