How Gardening and Preserving Can Save You Money (Guest Post and a Giveaway)

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by Amy on March 18, 2010

**GIVEAWAY CLOSED**

Guest Post by Laura from HeavenlyHomemakers.com

People often ask me how I am able to afford feeding my family of six such a wholesome diet of mostly organic foods on a limited budget. My answer: I make almost all of our food from scratch and I grow and preserve as much of our food as possible.

I don’t claim to be an expert at gardening; in fact, I often tell people that my garden grows in spite of me. I also don’t have the yard space to grow as much food as I need for my family.

How I Preserve As Much Organic Produce As Possible Each Year:

  • Grow what I can, making the best use of my garden space.
  • Utilize my farmer’s market and learn which vendors grow their produce organically and which ones are willing to “give me a deal” when I buy a large quantity.
  • Talk to people. Many people have more apples on their trees and strawberries in their patch than they know what to do with.  They are often happy to give me their excess for free.
  • Trade. If I have an abundance of potatoes, I’ll trade it for a bunch of green beans. Or, if I don’t have an abundance of any produce, most people are happy to accept a couple loaves of fresh bread in trade!

During the Summer and Fall seasons while fresh produce is readily available, we eat as much as possible. Any extra goes into the freezer or into my jars (and oh wow is there usually extra!).

By the middle of October, I have usually put away enough potatoes, corn, green beans, peaches, pears, applesauce, strawberries, tomato sauce and tomato soup to last us for the entire year.

Also by the middle of October, I am so sick of looking at tomatoes I don’t care if I ever see another one as long as I live!  I soon get over it and begin to realize the fruit of my labor as all throughout the coming months I am able to pull delicious organic foods out of my freezer and pantry for our meals.

How Gardening and Preserving Benefits Our Family:

  • Our family has saved hundreds of dollars on groceries.
  • I know exactly the kind of food going into our pantry and freezers and then into our bodies. I know what I put into my sauces. I know what soil my food came from. I know I can trust the food to be healthy for my family.
  • Our family gets to work hard together. Planting, weeding, and picking all becomes a family affair. We are a family with dirt under our fingernails!
  • The food is delicious! In my opinion, nothing is better than home grown organic produce!

Be on the lookout now for deals on garage sales on jars and other canning and preserving needs! Brand new jars can be pricey, but at yard sales, you can find them for almost nothing!

Gardening and preserving your own food is a wonderful way to help provide your family with great quality, delicious, inexpensive produce all year round!

Laura Coppinger and her husband have four sons ages 5-12.  She blogs at HeavenlyHomemakers.com encouraging women daily in the areas of healthy eating, gardening, parenting, homemaking, faith and fun.

Would you like some help getting started with gardening and preserving? Well, Laura has graciously offered to give away 10 copies of her ebook, Heavenly Homemaker’s Guide to Gardening and Preserving, here today. To enter to win, just leave a comment on this post in the next 24 hours. Winners will be chosen and posted on Monday.

Subscribe for free email updates and be entered to win $100!

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{ 966 comments }

Melissa March 18, 2010 at 6:53 pm

I have had a garden for the past 2 years, but I continue to struggle with preserving what I grow. I would love to read her book. It would help me tremendously.

Sarah March 18, 2010 at 6:54 pm

I want this book sooo bad!! Pick me, please?!?

Carole March 18, 2010 at 6:55 pm

wow- thanks!

Sarah D March 18, 2010 at 6:56 pm

This is our second year gardening and I am hoping to have a huge yield this time around. I would love to know what to do with all those veges!

Kara Wise March 18, 2010 at 6:56 pm

I do a small garden, but would love to know how to put some more produce in the freezer or can it!

Carly March 18, 2010 at 6:57 pm

I would love to win this book! Thank you

Hannah Locklear March 18, 2010 at 6:57 pm

Love to learn more!

Angie March 18, 2010 at 6:58 pm

We are planting our first garden this year so your ebook would be a valuable resource. Thanks for your post.

Amanda March 18, 2010 at 6:59 pm

I’ve never gardened before, we bought our first place this fall, and I really want to give it a try this summer. I have NO clue where to start!

Mary March 18, 2010 at 6:59 pm

would love it! thanks.

Laurie March 18, 2010 at 6:59 pm

Trying to figure out the gardening – would love this!

jennifer March 18, 2010 at 7:00 pm

LOVE a copy of this! Thanks :)

Megan March 18, 2010 at 7:02 pm

I want to try my hand at some gardening this spring. Bring on the e-book!

Leslie March 18, 2010 at 7:03 pm

oooh pick me, pick me!!!!

Carly Pruch March 18, 2010 at 7:03 pm

Living in an apartment doesn’t really lend itself to gardening and preserving, but this is great info for the future, unless you have advice for how to grow a garden from a small, 2nd floor deck. :)

Lindsay March 18, 2010 at 7:04 pm

We are moving soon out to some acerage partly for this reason. We would love as much help as possible as we learn!

Beth March 18, 2010 at 7:04 pm

I would love a copy of this book! My family has a couple of gardens each year!

Ashley March 18, 2010 at 7:04 pm

I would love to win. I can’t wait to garden this year.

Amy Lloyd March 18, 2010 at 7:04 pm

I would love to win! We have been gardening as organically as possible for the last few years, however I could definitely use some advice on preserving, specifically canning. I would love to make my own tomato sauce and can green beans. Thanks!

Stephanie March 18, 2010 at 7:05 pm

This looks like such a great book! I’ve tried my hand at gardening the past few years with my preschooler, and it’s so gratifying to be able to “harvest” our little crop. I definitely want to get into canning and such – esp. now that our family has expanded. Thanks so much for this great offer!

Edie March 18, 2010 at 7:06 pm

I’ve been thinking about doing some container gardening this year so this ebook would be a great resource.

Tara March 18, 2010 at 7:08 pm

This is my first year for a garden. I am very excited.

amy March 18, 2010 at 7:09 pm

I have been thinking of a garden for years! It seems like such a daunting task, would love to know more for my home environment.

Laura March 18, 2010 at 7:09 pm

I would love to learn how to grow my own veggies. This book sounds great! I am always looking for fresh fruit and veggies.

lori March 18, 2010 at 7:10 pm

Last year we lived on a busy intersection right outside of Atlanta. This year, we live in a rural area. So, I plan on doing a much bigger garden instead of just a few tomatoes and cucumbers. This would be such a welcome to gift to help me get started.

Thanks for your site, I love it!

Elizabeth March 18, 2010 at 7:10 pm

I would love to get this book and learn more about gardening and canning – something I’m really wanting to learn!

amy March 18, 2010 at 7:11 pm

I have been wanting to do a home garden for years! The task seems like such a daunting one, for my home environment.

LeAnn Randolph March 18, 2010 at 7:11 pm

Wow, could I use this!!! I was born from a long line of women with brown thumbs :) I am attempting a container garden to start with so ANY help would be great. I am a huge fan of Laura’s blog (using Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil in dinner tonight, as a matter of fact) and would love to get some in depth instructions on how to garden and preserve all the yummy results.

Stacy Isbell March 18, 2010 at 7:11 pm

My gardens never quite seem to work out :( Zuccini is the only thing I seem to be able to grow. I can’t even keep a tree alive in my yard.

christine March 18, 2010 at 7:13 pm

Thank you for this post!

Jessica March 18, 2010 at 7:14 pm

We are a family of 8 and we garden every year. Last year we put in 3 apple trees and 2 peach trees and 3 blueberry bushes and a whole strawberry patch. Lots of hard work, and it can be so disappointing when the deer just come and snack in my garden whenever they want to!

But the Lord is faithful and other’s who had a bountiful crop are always willing to share and I am always here with my arms open! I do a lot of freezing, but I’d love to try and can some jam or pack some peaches this year and this would be a great help!

Great article! Springs almost here and I’m ready to get out there!

Briana March 18, 2010 at 7:14 pm

Oh, I so wanna win this. I’m hoping to start a “canning club” with some other women who can get together this summer, some to can and some to watch all our crazy kids. It’s the first year I will have tried something like this; I’m hoping it’ll work out and benefit those involved. Thanks for the post and contest. I’m planning to pass it onto my “canning ladies”. ;)

Brigitte March 18, 2010 at 7:15 pm

I would love to win!

heather March 18, 2010 at 7:16 pm

Looks like a cool book :)

melissa March 18, 2010 at 7:16 pm

I would love to be entered into the drawing. We recently moved to our new house that includes just under one acre of land. I am so excited about putting in my first garden this year, but nervous too.

Angie March 18, 2010 at 7:17 pm

We are doubling the size of our garden this year and I couldn’t be more excited. I already bought my seeds and started a few. It’s also a great learning experience for the kids.

Susan March 18, 2010 at 7:17 pm

Awesome post. I’ve been wanting to learn how to can. I live in a condo with no yard, so I’m limited to what can grow in a pot indoors and what I can buy when its super cheap in season. Thanks for posting!

Kellie March 18, 2010 at 7:17 pm

I would love to win! This is our 2nd year of gardening, and I’d love to learn how to save some of our veggies for the winter months! We’re also expecting our apple and peach trees to start producing this year, too.

carolyn March 18, 2010 at 7:19 pm

I’ve always wanted to have my own garden. I bet this book would be great to get me started!!!

Charity March 18, 2010 at 7:19 pm

I would love to have this book. We have grown gardens (quite small ones) for a few years now, and I still have lots and lots to learn. I have always wanted to learn how to can :)

Mary Ellen Ash March 18, 2010 at 7:20 pm

I would love this book! We are planting our 1st garden this year and don’t know much about how to do it!

Shannon March 18, 2010 at 7:21 pm

I wouls love that book. I’m thinking about doing a small garden this year.

Kandice March 18, 2010 at 7:21 pm

I’m greatly expanding our garden and my canning efforts this year. This would be a great resource!

hannah March 18, 2010 at 7:22 pm

I love to garden and would enjoy learning from this experienced mother.

Karen March 18, 2010 at 7:23 pm

My garden is just a tiny patch, but I love it. My mom used to can all sorts of stuff, but I never picked it up. I would love to learn now!

Erica March 18, 2010 at 7:24 pm

This would be ever so helpful! ;o)

lisa March 18, 2010 at 7:24 pm

i need to get reading about what to do with a garden. i’ve got seedlings coming april 1 and no idea what to do with them! i would love a copy of the ebook. seems it might fit my needs better than the gardening for dummies book i was going to get.

Donna March 18, 2010 at 7:25 pm

Hi. I would like this resource!

jennifer March 18, 2010 at 7:25 pm

This sounds great! Please sign me up!

Kris Mays March 18, 2010 at 7:25 pm

This is our first year gardening with my folks, so our garden plans are big. In spite of a natural black thumb, I still plant a garden every year, and I learn a lot every time and we get some food out of it, too.

I would love a peek at Laura’s ebook.

Thanks!

Kris

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