Home canning is effort intensive but worth it. No more hard canned pears or commercially canned peaches that were processed before the fruit was ripe.

Home canned jams are easy to do and taste so much better.

Canning doesn't have to be just boring fruit and veggies, either. Try some pickle recipes, or bottle your own home-made salsa, spaghetti sauce and soups.

Informative. Thanks DN.

"family involvement" you mean men? While watching football" Well it's good for a laugh.

They would have to give up football period to maintain a garden, harvest and can. I hope you're not suggesting that women become unpaid cannery workers.

If men are going to participate on a totally equal basis fine. I don't personally see it happening.

I've canned for years. I make lots of stuff, catsup, tomato sauce, tomato paste, pickles sweet/dill, pickled beets, beans, fruits of all sorts, jams/jellies. My husband and I are at a place where we don't HAVE to do it because it's just the two of us but we have kids who sure do enjoy it. I taught my daughter to can and she helps out her family that way. We have other kids from our blended family that also supplements their food budget by doing the canning thing. I know exactly how my food is grown, what does and doesn't go on it/in it, and I can produce as much or as little as I want or need to. For me it isn't work - even when I worked full time and was raising kids - it was satisfying to know that even if the prices of groceries went up we would eat.

Moan, groan groan. I love to garden and have canned fruits and vegetables for years, as did my mom. I freeze and bottle corn, bottle tomatoes, string beans I've bottled apricots, peaches, pears, cherries, plums, etc. over the years. And I didn't get much help. It's something that you get hooked on. Yes, it is a whale of a lot of work, but it is such a satisfaction to see all those beautiful bottles on the shelf and know that we don't have to eat canned stuff with all the chemicals in it.
This year I only have tomatoes, corn, potatoes, carrots and squash in my garden. But I love to work in it.

To "transplant": Not to make your day any worse than it already seems to be, but my husband and two of my brothers help with all the growing, harvesting, canning and putting away.

In fact, my husband does most of the canning. Should I make it even worse? He does windows, cleans house (toilets too!!), does laundry, cooks, changed diapers when our kids were little, all to help me out because we both work. No you can't have him and he isn't for rent.

I am sorry that your view on life is men watching football, but it isn't the case in my house. If there is a game on that he wants to see, he will ask if there is laundry he can fold while watching.

Yes, my life is a dream. He also helps out others when the needs are there. A busy man, but he knows where his priorities are. His father was the same way, but not all of his brothers.

I loved the comment about watching football while canning. This is one of my fondest memories while I was growing up - having the football game on and all of my family working together to can. Every time I open a bottle of fruit or vegetables, it brings back the memories of my dad who unfortunately died 22 years ago.

I have all boys and they too are learning to can. I have a great husband that also is right there to help - great family activity!

I grew up in a large family on a farm and we canned and canned and canned. Bushel after bushel of fruits and vegetables. I can remember pitting peaches and steming strawberries all day.

I guess it gets in the blood. I don't know if I could eat commercial jam or jelly; not much fruit in it. I can grape juice, apricot juice, tomato juice, peaches, pears, apricots, cherries, apples and applesauce, tomatoes and chili sauce, as well as pressure can beans, beef stew, chicken, spagetti sauce and carrots. I also bottle a little grape and apricot syrup and freeze strawberry and peach ice cream mix.

Real food is fabulous. With more than a thousand canning jars, I'm always looking for another great recipie.