_by F. Aline Coffey and Roger Sternberg_[19]
A community cannery is a self-help facility equipped for preparing and
heat processing food. People bring in produce from their gardens and
through their own efforts preserve it for future use.
Community canneries began during the late 1800's in response to the
desire of families to work together to preserve their food for the
off-season. At the end of World War II there were over 3,800 community
canneries in the United States. Most of these wartime canneries were
subsidized, but after the war the monies ceased. Growth of the food
industry, development of freezing techniques, and the lack of subsidy
led to a decline of the canneries.
Today there is a resurgence of interest in establishing community
canning centers. This has been influenced by the cost of food, a marked
increase in the concern for nutrition, and gardening activities.
A community cannery promotes the preservation of seasonal garden
surpluses for consumption during the nonproductive season. It encourages
small farmers and nonfarm individuals to produce more food, thereby
promoting self-sufficiency for families. It enables families who do not
own recommended food preservation equipment to use safe and reliable
equipment and techniques.
Availability of nonseasonal foods on a year-round basis can result in a
better diet for families, especially if the center incorporates
nutrition education classes as part of its program. People who grow
their own food may make substantial savings in their food budget. The
community cannery creates a social atmosphere of friendly, cooperative
work leading to tangible results, and promotes a feeling of
self-reliance.
Most of the community canneries in the country have been organized by
Community Action Agencies or similar community organizing groups.
Individuals, food co-ops, and other groups have successfully set up
canneries, but it is recommended that people wanting to establish a
canning center contact a community organizing agency. Normally, these
agencies have professional people who will work on such a project. They
have experience in writing proposals and are aware of potential funding
sources.
Support for the canning center can be enhanced by making a special
effort to include a diverse membership on a board of directors for the
center.
Farmers, low-income people, business people, contractors, Extension
personnel, community organizers, local officials, and members of the
clergy are all potential supporters and advisors for the cannery.
Although organizing a community cannery requires a lot of work, this
need not be a roadblock to initiating the project. It takes many hours
to plan the canning operation, draft proposals, develop community
support, locate a site, and to select, purchase and install equipment.
Because this can easily be a full-time job for one person, efforts
should be made to hire a coordinator. In many instances, paid community
organizers, Vista volunteers, and home economists have provided valuable
assistance in completing the work.
Preparation for and organization of the cannery are the foundation of
the project. At least six months should be set aside for organizing.
[Illustration: William E. Carnahan
Tomatoes in the canning process, at a community cannery.]
[Illustration: William E. Carnahan
Sweet corn ready to have kernels removed for canning.]
[Illustration: At later stage, liquid is poured over hot-packed
corn. Note one advantage of a community cannery is that quantities
of food can be processed in a few hours.]