Spring
When spring is here, it means The Canning Diva is getting
her garden in and flowers planted!
I spend Memorial Day rototilling compost and natural nutrients into my soil and planting an array of vegetables and herbs I started from seed. Home-canning brings me and my family many joys and for us, it starts with our garden.
I have always prided myself on ensuring my home garden is free from chemicals and pesticides, that I grow only non-GMO crops using heirloom seeds and I support my soil through composting and crop rotation. But because my garden is small and I home-can all year round, I rely heavily on local farmers to follow suit in producing crops using these very same methods.
Thankfully many like-minded Michigan farmers also share the same sustainable values when it comes to producing healthy foods for consumption. One farm in particular reminds me of my childhood living in northern Michigan but on a much smaller scale. Chimney Creek Farm in Belding shares in my passion and is highly involved in the new food revolution! And I am excited to say they are just a hop, skip and a jump from my home!
When I teach people how to home-can, I pride myself on taking the fear out of this age-old skill by demystifying and debunking the many misnomers of this craft. I bring creativity to recipes, teach safe practices and advocate for supporting local farmers by preserving their harvest all year long!