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From Cooking to Canning

Designing a Kitchen Around Your Passion

Article by Susan McKenzie

Photography by Diandra Brooks

Originally published in Greeley Lifestyle

Ten years ago, Logan and Ashley Richardson designed the house of their dreams, complete with a beautiful custom-built kitchen that not only allowed the family to entertain, but was also practical for Ashley’s canning hobby. When they started the path to designing their own kitchen, they wanted to make sure it would be functional for their lifestyle. They began by blocking off where they wanted things in the home they were already living in. This allowed them to walk around and get used to the space before anything was permanent. “A remodel is definitely in your future when you build your own house,” Ashley laughed. Even after designing what felt like the perfect space for their family, they decided to remodel the kitchen after about 8 years of living in it. “The version we had in our mind changed. After using things in the kitchen, we analyzed what options would work better for us.” 

Canning continued to be a major consideration as they remodeled since this is something Ashley does frequently. The galley kitchen houses several elements that make it easier for her. She included a pot filler, a six burner gas stove, and a lot of counter space which allows her to set all 24 cans out and make sure they cool and seal properly without being in the way of cooking. Additionally, they included a lot of space for overflow which makes it easier for her kids to help, and the sink is close to the stove which allows for easy cleanup. 

 “My mom canned all the time while I was growing up and my dad had a beautiful garden so we always had fresh produce.” Ashley joked that she never wanted to do canning after watching her mom do it her whole life, but then she was invited to help one of her friends and ended up never stopping. Since then, she’s built out her own garden with eight garden boxes that provide a lot of produce for her family. Her dad has a huge apple orchard so she uses some of his harvest to make things like apple butter and applesauce. She also gets peaches and pears from the western slope or the farmer’s market. “I try to grow most of the produce I can. It’s nice to know exactly where your food is coming from, and you get to decide when your fruit and vegetables are ripe enough so you get better flavor, not to mention my family loves eating it!” 

Ashley said she talks to everyone about canning but no one ever wants to do it! “It is a lot of work and can be very time consuming, but there’s something about providing for your family in this way - it’s very ancestral.” Once grocery stores became popular, canning was no longer a necessity, but Ashley thinks everyone should at least try it. Plus, with the rising food prices, it’s a good solution to cutting down on some of your expenses, and the equipment needed to get started is minimal. “All you really need aside from the ingredients are jars, lids and rings, a wide-mouth funnel (optional but incredibly helpful), tongs, and a water bath.” 

While the majority of the work goes into the actual preparation of the food, the canning process is fairly simple. After heating the lids and filling the jars with your ingredients, you wipe the edges to ensure nothing will be in the way of it properly sealing, place the lid and ring on, and place it into the hot water bath. The length of time will vary depending on your recipe. Once you remove the jars from the boiling water, the heat begins to escape, pulling down the lid and creating an airtight seal. This process heats the food hot enough to destroy bacteria that might grow, allowing you to store food longer.


 

Canning is certainly not for everyone, but it is nice to be able to harvest your own garden and live off the supply for the year. It can be a lot of prep work and time, but it can also be extremely rewarding. It allows you to save money, know exactly what you are putting into your body, and can be a great outlet to spend time with your family and friends. Like Ashley Richardson said - everyone should try it at least once!

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