Making ‘Cents’ of It: The Season for Canning and Freezing

One of the money saving tips I’ve been learning this summer is buying fruits in bulk locally in season.  Check local ads, search the internet, or ask around for farms that grow certain fruits, such as strawberries, blueberries, or peaches.  Usually you can get a great deal by buying directly from these farms in gallon size amounts.  If you want to save even more money, consider picking the fruits yourself.  Although it may not seem worth it, anything that saves a few dollars is definitely worth it to me.  In early June I got up early and went to a local blueberry farm, picked for about an hour, and got a gallon of blueberries.  I made a blueberry cobbler, ate some, and froze the rest.  It’s truly the only affordable way to make berry deserts or can berry jams or jellies. 

If you’re lucky like me, you might be able to find places where you can pick wild berries for free.  For instance, my mother-in-law’s family has a lot of land and history in the areas around where we live.  We were able to go out on Andy’s great-grandparent’s old farm and pick wild raspberries for free.  It took awhile, and we had to wear rubber boots as it was kind of primitive, but it was so worth it and such a unique experience.

Later in the summer we’d like to go to a farm that grows peaches and pick some (can you say peach cobbler?), and eventually I’d like to plant some different berry bushes and vines.  Until then, I’m getting a lot of good fruits that I can can or freeze for later use.  So check out your local farms!