Councils

Once upon a time it was a way of life to harvest the bounty of the land and put it into clear jars, all colourful and preserved for a snowy day. As urban life became the norm for more and more young adults, the "putting up" of the season's best has, by and large, been set aside for the convenience of the grocery store. Over time the art of canning is increasinly seen as an overwhelming task, beyond the ability and perhaps interests of the young adult generation. Yet with the increased media attention given to fresh, local markets and the slow food movement I pondered whether interests would be piqued enough to learn the skills of canning. That, and the idea that many hands make light work, led me to step out and offer to coordinate a canning day.

No good Mennonite event happens without a committee. So I began gathering together the important people who would make this canning day possible. Kendra Whitfield Ellis came on board as facilities coordinator. Floradale Mennonite Church's large kitchen was very inviting for my grand plans. Darren Kropf came on board as the promotions department, bringing his MCC Creation Care background and his connections with young adults in the area. I brought the vision and administrative ability to pull the various aspects together. One meeting later we had a date, a timeline, and a division of tasks assigned. Canning day was a go! We gathered canning "experts" Vera Bowman, Dana Bauman, Barb Draper and Julene Fast; we gathered produce from local farms and farmers' markets; we raided gardens and grocery stores.

Beginning first thing in the morning, donated jars were sterilized, tables were set up, produce and groceries were set out, recipes were reviewed and volunteers were prepped for the long afternoon. Young adults from seven congregations arrived mid-day, eager to learn new skills and meet new people. In preparation, we talked about the food that we were about to preserve. We also discussed food safety in general and as it pertained to the canning process. The next six hours involved chopping, blanching, peeling, measuring, visiting, sampling, stirring, hoping, sharing, processing, learning and feeling a sense of accomplishment at a job well done.

Three hundred and thirty jars of peaches, salsa, tomatoes, zucchini relish, green beans and raspberry jam stood in pretty rows in the early evening. Supper was put out by Erma and Earl Wideman and was a welcomed break after many hours on our feet. The kitchen was cleaned, the floor was mopped, the compost was packed and the bounty of the day was distributed.

I believe that each person learned something about canning on this day. I believe that each person learned something new about someone else. Food and fellowship is a combo that always works for me and this day was not different. I am grateful to the committee, to the volunteers, to the participants and to the farmers. And now, I am enjoying the preserves.