**GIVEAWAY CLOSED**
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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I have always wanted to know how to can. Would be cool to win!
I have endeavored to learn new things and apply them to my family life in 2010. With several health issues plagueing us, eating more healthy is goal number one. I would love to receive this book, in hopes of improving the quality of life for my entire family!!
Just put up a ton of strawberries, but looking for more inspiration! Thanks!
I really would like to start a garden and winning this book would be wonderful!
I would love to win!
Sounds like a good book for the novice gardener
I would love to receive a copy of her e-book.
yup this is what i need!
I love gardening, but have so much to learn. I would love this book!
Would lve to add this to my arsonal of living off the land.
We have a new home with a 20×20 garden plot now I just need to plant something. This book would be wonderful! Thanks!
I would love to read this book!!!
I would LOVE a copy of this ebook! I have been DYING to start my own garden, so I can provide fresh fruit and veggies for my family! But alas, I have a black thumb and need all the help I can get! Thanks so much!
We would love to have this book to had to our library.
Thanks!
I am so glad I saw thing as my husband and I have decided to unlock our green thumbs this summer. I am a little nervous about this venture and trying to learn all I can!
I would love a copy of this book. This is our second year with a garden and I’d love to be able to put some away for the winter months! Thank you for the offer!
I will love to have this book. I’m trying to have my own produce and I need to learn more from you, thanks for all your help and tips! I have ane 8yr.old and a 11 yr.old both boys!
I strongly desire to start my own garden, but feel overwhelmed and don’t know what is the best way to do things. This ebook would be very helpful. Thanks!
Sounds like a great book to read. You can always learn something new!
Need all the help I can get. I want to grow a big garden, but don’t know where to start.
I gardened last year but it was struck with some sort of blight. I would love to learn how to can things and this book sounds like a good place to start.
Great giveaway! I would definitely put this book to good use as I try canning for the first time this year. Thanks!
I am happy to see more blogs talking about gardening and canning. We can/freeze/dehydrate the produce from our garden and it lasts through the next gardening season.
I’d love to have this tool to get my garden started.
I am not one to play in the dirt, but I know that having a garden would help us save even more on top of all the couponing I do. My best friend’s mom used to can strawberry jam and it was the best! I would love to win this. Thanks!
I would LOVE to have one of these books! I homeschool my 3 teen-aged sons & it gets quite expensive feeding these hungry boys on (my husband’s) one income.
This year I have made up my mind to plant a garden & freeze and can lots of fresh veggies & fruit. I remember my grandmother would make pickled watermelon rinds and I loved them! So I need a copy of this book!
Thanks! Ü
I would love to check out the book. I love to cook.
I would love to learn how to can from my garden! Thanks so much!
I would LOVE how to garden and use to cook with i have been wanting to learn!!!
I would love to win this book — thanks for the opportunity!
Would love to win this….sounds like great information!
I’ve just planted cucumbers, zucchini and tomatoes….and can’t wait to add more to my garden. This book would surely be a help to me..thanks!
Laura’s Book would be agreat help!
I would like this.
I would really love to know how to go about doing this! Thank you for the opportunity!
This will be our 2nd year to attempt gardening. Hopefully this one will be sucessful. We would love to win this!
I love gardening and home food preservation. I would love to add this ebook to my collection.
I would love to have this book and learn how to do my own garden.
Gardening from home is a wonderful way to grow the wonderful foods God has given us! Our family tried a garden and had a few things grow, but I would like to try again. There are some church families who have gardens and are such a blessing to our church. I would like to to read the book and try it this year!
I would love a copy of the book! Thanks for such a great post! Inspired to say the least.
sounds like a great book…info I can use!
I have a small garden in the summer. Learning to can is the next step!
I am slowly starting my own garden for my family and would love some great tips and suggestions how to do this effectively. This book looks fantastic! Thanks for sharing!
oh this book would be great i have 3 boys and a husband and my Mother in law and brother in law just moved in with us so iI am up to 7 people in this house. Everybit of help is needed I hope I win
It would be great to start and garden veggies for my children and family. Just pass along your book this way. Sounds like a great book to learn from. Thank you for the giveaway.
We are planting our first garden this year. I’d love a coy!
Our family gardens every year –would love to win this book.
I would love to try gardening! My mom is a guru…but my green thumb is kinda brown =(
I need to expand my current gardening ventures beyond tomatos and sunflowers….any book that has helpful information would be a good thing! I’m also watching garage sales for a foley mill and another canner…
I have gotten away from canning our garden abundance, and really need to get back to it. Thanks for the great post!
Would really like this. Thanks!
I’ve never tried canning and this looks like a wonderful way to learn.
I would love to win this book. I have been reading Heavenly Homemakers and love the recipes and knowledge that I am gaining there.
I could so use this! I have a brown thumb but keep on trying.
Sign me up please! I usually do a garden but I alway eat it or give it away not sure how to save for later. This would really help me!
I would love a tutorial in this!
We are trying to start a small garden this year! We are a family of 4 soon-to-be 6!
Oh how I’d love to win this book. The article has inspired me and her website is wonderful. I need this book! thanks for posting this
I’ve never tried perserving and I want to learn!
I am starting a garden this year and need tons of help. wouldlove to read the book.
Awesome giveaway! I started gardening for the first time last year but struggle with the harvest/preserving. Crossing my fingers…
I love these blogs. They are so encouraging with great advice. I found a ton of jars in my basement when I moved in. Really don’t know how to can or perserve but would like to learn.
I’d love to win. Thanks for the giveaway!
I love Laura’s site! I would really love to read this book! I did my first canning of tomatoe last year.
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