# Would love to know how canning save money



## Wintergrower_OH (Sep 21, 2010)

Has there been any studies done on how much canning saves on the budget ? Looking at using CSA in addition to what grown in the backyard . For instance is their huge difference in price for CSA virgin oil vs store bought . Thanks .


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## laughaha (Mar 4, 2008)

I think alot of the saving depends on how much you spend for lids (small boxes or bulk buy), CSA costs per amount you get/whether you are buying jars and will factor that into costs. Canning can be done very frugally, or getting started can be a horrendous cost. 

Would love to find a local place to get virgin oil at! Very jealous that you have!!


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## Aseries (Feb 24, 2011)

I agree it cost, it can cost you tons for Jars depending on where you are, and lids. I buy Jars on sale all year, I even found a local used place that charges me 29cents a jar, I put things on FB and look on craigslist for Jars. You will be amazed how much you can get for nothing.

As for Cost, I dont always think about cost, I try to think about things like this. Canning is about cost, but its more about knowing that all that garbage they put in store bought food isnt in your food. Not to mention, you did it, and feeling the glow after you finish your batch of what ever it is your making.

Another factor is taste, you cant get home canned taste from the store. I give people pickles to try, and other things and they all say omg can you make me more... lol

Enjoy


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## Wintergrower_OH (Sep 21, 2010)

I've found virgin oil in Calif , CSA . I've found native american Wild rice . Not csa . But supporting native american "farmer". I'm looking into Once a Month cooking too , via CSA or local harvest food .


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## judylou (Jun 19, 2009)

Once you have accumulated all the basic equipment, and it can be done frugally it just takes longer and more work, then the primary costs are your time and the food. The typical small backyard garden doesn't really make canning cost-effective. But if you garden extensively as we do then the food cost is minimal and it is just your time and your back.  

But if you have to buy most of the food you will be canning, regardless of the food source, then I could see how the savings would be minimal. It would depend on the type of foods you prefer and purchasing in bulk quantities after scouting for sales. Which also takes time.

Honestly I think for many who home can, the focus is the quality of the food rather than the cost savings. It is difficult to put a $ value on quality but one does exist.

Still the most savings will come to those who have already accumulated all the necessary equipment and have their own source of food.


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## Becka03 (Mar 29, 2009)

I know we save by canning our salsa, spaghetti sauce and jellies- cause we love salsa and spaghetti- plus I can give a bag of tortilla chips with a jar of salsa as a bday present and it cost me not anywhere near as much as a store bought present and the people love it- also giving jellies as Christmas gifts- saves me money


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

Canning can save you money if you grow your own. If you have to purchase, then it depends upon how much you pay and what you can purchase commercial for.

I can buy canned peaches for a lot less than I can buy fresh peaches. But if I grow my own peaches, all I pay for are the jars and equipment and the heat to boil the water. The equipment (except the lids) gets used year after year, so the more you can, the less it costs per jar of food.


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## olivehill (Aug 17, 2009)

Have you signed up for a CSA? Have you talked to your farmer about what it will include? Most CSAs are formulated to provide what a family can eat in a week, not a lot more for canning. As a matter of fact CSAs that include too much -- as in, enough to can -- are often unsuccessful so farmers generally make it a point not to include too much. It turns people off to have to throw food away and lots don't can, so would not have use for a lot of produce each week. You may want to make sure of these things before you sign up for a CSA with the intention of canning from it. 

As for the cost, it can be a savings. Or it can be more expensive. As others have said, it just depends. The quality and taste of homegrown and preserved surpasses anything store bought to such an extent however, that I really don't think there is any comparison.


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## Wintergrower_OH (Sep 21, 2010)

I live in town so have to rely on CSA . Farmer market stinks around here .


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## judylou (Jun 19, 2009)

> I live in town so have to rely on CSA . Farmer market stinks around here .


Then it is likely that canning would be of little cost-benefit to you. Have you checked out local pick-your-own facilities? It may take a day trip to the country to use them but the savings can be substantial and unlike with a CSA you can get the foods in canning quantities.

Depending on where you are in Ohio there are a number to pick from. Check out this directory: http://www.pickyourown.org/OH.htm


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## Wintergrower_OH (Sep 21, 2010)

I knew about this site . This would be good for things like tomato . Thanks .


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## Wintergrower_OH (Sep 21, 2010)

http://www.chefs-garden.com/ . This is another option for me .


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## Stephen in SOKY (Jun 6, 2006)

You might check your area for produce auctions as well. I have 2 I frequent that sell locally grown (primarily Amish grown) produce several days a week. Much lower prices than farmer's markets and they're great for canning as they sell exclusively in bulk.


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## Wintergrower_OH (Sep 21, 2010)

I know their is auction in Indiana . But don't know how to find out when and where .


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

What is a CSA?


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## Wintergrower_OH (Sep 21, 2010)

Community supported Agriculture . Its subscription service a farmer provides to the community .


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## Nico DeMouse (Feb 25, 2008)

My CSA does not get me enough to can from in our weekly box. But, I am able to purchase items in bulk sometimes for much cheaper than I could otherwise. For example, I purchased 2 bu of apples from my CSA farmer in addition to my weekly share. I'll do the same this year, plus peaches and tomatoes, if she has enough.

Just saying your CSA may be a way to find affordable bulk produce.


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## sewserious (Apr 2, 2010)

How does canning save me money? Well, for one thing, I don't live on a farm; until the pool is filled in and I have all that space for a garden, my space is limited to a 16' x 16' patch. Not enough to grow everything we want to eat/need to eat for at least a year. I buy foods in season at the grocery store and can them, saving quite a bit in the process.

For example, at Thanksgiving last year, a 16-ounce can of sweet potatoes was going for $1.28. Fresh sweet potatoes were 39 cents a pound. Do the math! I bought 20 lbs, saved some back for Thanksgiving dinner and canned the rest. We don't eat a lot of them but having them on the shelf so cheaply means we eat them more often! I buy 10-lb bags of potatoes when they are BOGO at the local grocery. I can and/or dehydrate them. Getting them for half-price and preserving means I don't have to buy them when they are full price (not to mention that, by the end of winter, potatoes are not usually the best quality!). Same goes for meat, I only buy it at a deep discount and can it. Beef of all types and chicken, even pork on occasion. Makes it faster to cook later if fuel would every get low and/or astronomically high.

I also watched for frozen veggies to be on sale at a very good price. Already blanched, just throw them on the dehydrator trays still frozen or thaw and can.

If you are savvy and shop for deep discounts, you can save money buying at the grocery store and canning. I can generally buy my groceries at 75% off full retail using sales and/or coupons. (No, I don't buy heavily processed foods). Not to mention the fact that we have it on hand if we are short on funds and I know I didn't spend a fortune on it.


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## jd2pa (Jan 23, 2011)

As I learn more about canning, I agree, saving money isn't my focus especially in the beginning (as I am) accumulating items needed. So far I have everything but a pressure canner.

The way I look at my savings is I'm not throwing out nearly as much as I used to. Example is the bf likes hot peppers, Habanero (those little orange HOT suckers!). @ $7.99 lb (what I purchase in one shot costs about $1.50) I would buy a couple & by the time he got around to using, many needed to be thrown out. Now I dehydrate them, grind them down and bought a salt & pepper shaker from the $1 store to store them. He loves them & nothing goes to waste. He's even eating them more - God Bless 'um!

Not throwing out is savings for me.

The same with fruits. Canning/dehydrating will preserve what I don't get around to eating in a week.

As for CSA, I've never heard of them before 2 months ago but looking at the up-front price and being dependent on the crop/weather, besides not having $$ for up-front, I would rather put that money into going to local farms & picking my own w/guarantee. I've been researching local farms, mapping them out & getting psyched for growing & picking season ;0).

Now to get that pressure canner!!


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Wintergrower, I can tell you that we save a lot. I have deliberately planted and grow the things we use. I have about 21 fruit trees planted,peaches,plums ,cherries,apples,pears,blueberries,apricots,nectarines,hazelnuts. Then all kinds of berry bushes,grapes, herbs etc. The regular gardens have asparagus, and everything else is planted each spring.(i have a greenhouse for starting seeds and growing greens in the winter). It has been my goal to grow and make what we need.So I can syrups,jams every veggie I can and all kinds of soups,chill ect. Course we have meat sourses as well, and those are canned, I prefer it to freezing, but the magority of meat is frozen.Dh takes canned food to work with him, sometimes it is a whole crock pot of meals. His work schedule can keep him at work long stretch of time. I can't say how much we save, but thankfully I don't have to buy any produce anymore for canning.


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## Stephen in SOKY (Jun 6, 2006)

I Googled "Produce auction Ohio" and found several. Here are a few but I have no idea if they're near you:

http://www.brightdsl.net/~fwo/index.html
http://ourohio.org/magazine/past-issues-2009/march-april-2009/fresh-bid/
http://www.mthopeauction.com/
http://knox.osu.edu/topics/horticulture/owl-creek-produce-auction

The Extension service here in KY is a great resource for such things. The land grant college, UK here, is also a big supporter. Perhaps OSU could direct you to an auction nearby?


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## Wintergrower_OH (Sep 21, 2010)

Apparently , I didn't use the right words in google . Thanks . I know that their is one just over the Indiana border near fort wayne .


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

Winter grower, one thing to try might be to call the CSA and ask if they also sell lugs of canning tomatoes and fruit for canning. They might, and they might be happy to deliver a couple of boxes even to non-customers if it isn't an extra trip for them.

Unless you are in an apartment with no balcony, you can probably grow enough tomatoes to can. 2-4 tomato plants produce more fruit than my family can eat, plus enough frozen enchilada sauce and spaghetti sauce for the entire year.


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## Wintergrower_OH (Sep 21, 2010)

@ Oregon . Didn't know what a lug was until now . Tomato should not be a problem ( i have room for up to 16 tomato plants ) . I have room for two potato grow boxes . Its the odd vegetable / salads that I'm looking for or garden around here that got too much rain . Last year was a bad year for allot of the csa farms around here . Garlic will be a road trip to orville ohio .


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## lovinthislife (Aug 28, 2009)

We have bought some jars but mainly the only costs we had were the electricity to do the canning and the extra air conditioning. lol I get hot. I have to buy lids but that is all. My son gave me a pressure canner. Ask around. Alot of people may have what you want or need and you can get it free or really cheap.

The main reason we can is to know what's in our food. Did the guy wash his hands after he sneezed, when he was putting my tomatoes in the can? Kind of grosses me out if I think about it. I know what's in our food. The best of all is when our entire dinner came from our own hands. Wonderful feeling. Can't beat it.


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## olivehill (Aug 17, 2009)

oregon woodsmok said:


> 2-4 tomato plants produce more fruit than my family can eat, plus enough frozen enchilada sauce and spaghetti sauce for the entire year.


Okay, either you have a small family that is not very fond of tomatoes or it's official and I really do live with a bunch of bottomless pits. Or maybe a little of both.... LOL! 

Mind sharing what type of tomatoes you grow and how much you put up? It honestly takes about 10 times that many plants to get us through the year... :huh:


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## judylou (Jun 19, 2009)

Apologies but I agree with Olivehill on the number of plants needed. There are just two of us and we aren't bottomless pits. But 2-4 plants wouldn't even provide enough for fresh eating through the summer much less all the canning and freezing we do. Just one batch of spaghetti sauce calls for 30-40 lbs. of tomatoes, 25 lbs. for just 1 batch of juice, not to mention tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, and heaven forbid we skip making salsa!

We plant an average of 80 plants each year and that is down from the 150+ we planted when the kids still lived at home.


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## Pelenaka (Jul 27, 2007)

I can usually bring in a quart of stewed tomatoes for under 15 cents, including the cost of the canning lid, tomato seed, salt, & water to process. I can on an old wood stove free firewood. What little canning equipment I have bought has long since paid for it self.

I am usually able to grow enough pumb tomatoes to put up stewed, & salsa. Making sauce requires more than I can grow. 
Besides produce auctions I've had good luck with flea markets & negotiating with a farm stand for bulk buys. 2 years ago due to the blight it was hard to find deals let alone decent tomatoes.I have one gf who is almost as serious a canner as I am so we work on bulk produce orders together. 

The last 5 or 6 years all the green beans I've canned were gleaned for free as was carrots. I grow strawberries, rhubarb, & black caps on my very tiny city lot. We also forage & barter. Sometimes it's just a matter of offering to clean up windfalls for picking rights.
When I first started canning the only thing free that I could find was pitiful apples growing outside the YWCA. Made applesauce & apple butter.

In answer to your question about cost saving in Oct. 2008 I did the math taking into account the cost of seeds & seedlings, ingredients such as lemon juice & sugar ect. -

221 Mason Jars yielded $378.12 in retail value.

Minus $20.16 - 221 canning lids & $119.93 - produce & ingredients. 

Net savings of $238.03 or $1.07 per jar. 

I did not take into account that the majority of my canning efforts produced organic food since I normally can't afford organic anyways. $1.07 per jar was everything be it jam, pie filling, peaches, ect. 


~~ pelenaka ~~
http://thirtyfivebyninety.blogspot.com/2008/10/feasibility-factor.html


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## MissQueenie (Feb 15, 2006)

This is a great discussion, so much "food for thought"! I agree that the appeal of canning is really knowing what is going into your food. 

I just had a couple of thoughts/comments:

1. I find that anything labeled "organic" at the store is almost twice the price. If your produce for home canning is organic, there may be some savings over the store prices (or it will be a wash, considering the cost of jars/lids and labor).

2. My CSA has something called a "canning share" for tomatoes and peaches; another CSA we were members of before this one gave members a hefty discount and first pick of the canning tomatoes. It's worth calling around to different farms and seeing if they offer canning shares.


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