Get Started Preserving Food Without a Garden

So you want to can tomatoes, but you haven’t got a garden full of tomatoes? You can get started preserving food without a garden. Just because you didn’t grow it, doesn’t mean you can’t preserve it. Actually preserving is a good place to start.

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No Farm, No Problem

People often give the excuse of not having land or a garden when it comes to homesteading. But homesteading is composed of such a wide variety of skills that you can start anywhere. We seem to have this idea, that if the produce didn’t come from our garden, then we can’t preserve it. I’ve got bad news, you can’t use that excuse. You can get started preserving food without a garden.

My mom has made apple butter for as long as I can remember. Did we always have an apple tree? Nope. But she still made apple butter in the fall. Even now that she does have a producing apple tree, she still buys apples to make apple butter. Proof that you can preserve what you didn’t grow yourself.

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How to Get Started Preserving Food Without a Garden

Here’s the big secret…buy the food you want to preserve. I know it feels wrong, but I promise it’s totally legal. Or at least I’ve not been arrested for it yet. That being said, it can be expensive to do. That’s why I’ve put together some ideas to help you save money while you get started preserving food without a garden.

Seasonal Foods on Sale

This is by far the simplest way to get food to preserve. When you see things on sale at the grocery store, stock up. You can preserve what you can’t eat fresh. This will also help you get used to eating seasonally. It will also help you learn to deal with a bunch of things at once. I can speak from experience when I say, tomatoes stop for nobody. The variety will help you become proficient in multiple types of preservation and recipes. Then once you have a garden, you’ll already be a step ahead.

Azure Standard

If you aren’t ordering from Azure Standard, then you should be. It’s a bulk food co-op. You meet a semi truck at a drop site with a bunch of other people to get your order. We get our pantry staples from them because they offer healthier options for cheaper prices. But they also have fresh produce. Peaches, cherries, carrots, potatoes, lemons, whatever you want you preserve. They run sales on seasonal produce as well, so keep an eye out. Azure is a great way to get produce in bulk if you want to do a big preservation day.

Farmer’s Markets

A farmer’s market may be a bit tricker. It may take some time to build relationships with the farmers. When shopping at a farmer’s market, request their seconds. Often these are behind the table or tucked away in the truck. It’s the produce that wasn’t as pretty. Maybe it had a bruise or a bad spot. It will likely be cheaper and perfect for preservation.

You Pick Farms

As a kid, I can remember doing a you pick blueberry farm every year. A quick Google search will turn up any in your area. You can go and pick all sorts of things, although I’ve found that it’s typically fruit. Blueberries, strawberries, and apples are the most common around here. It’s a fun way to buy produce and gives you a taste of gardening.