Preserving Traditions: The Heart of Home Canning

As the autumn chill sets in, Anita Smith finds herself in her Saskatchewan garden, gathering the last of her cucumbers before frost claims the crop. There’s a nostalgia that fills her as she meticulously harvests, a reminder of her childhood spent rinsing jars for her mother.

“I would tell her, ‘Ugh, I’m never gonna do this when I’m older.’ Now I wash more jars than my mom ever made me do—by choice!”

Each fall, Smith continues the time-honored practice of preserving her garden’s bounty, a tradition she cherishes deeply. Her expansive garden yields a variety of fruits and vegetables, and she dedicates countless hours to the art of canning.

Anita Smith cans hundreds of pounds of garden produce each fall. She says her favourite thing to make is her grandmother’s dill pickles.

Smith’s approach to preserving is both traditional and thorough. “I do green beans and carrots and corn the old-fashioned way, with glass lids and rubber rings in a water bath on top of the stove,” she proudly explains. While the art of canning may seem daunting to some, Smith relishes the challenge, and her canning repertoire has grown remarkable over the years. From jams and jellies to mustard beans and fish, her favorite remains her grandmother’s dill pickles.

The story of these beloved pickles is intertwined with family lore. Smith reflects on the improvisations that make them special. “My grandma only used larger cucumbers to make dill pickles, but my mom included small pickles in the jars. We would fight over the ‘baby pickle.’”

Her mother’s love for family traditions prompted her father to seek out the secret family recipe. “My dad took her to meet my grandma, who only spoke French, so he had to translate the recipe back into English,” she recounts with a laugh. The quaint notion of a language barrier only adds to the charm of their preserved legacy.

The Evolution of Family Recipes

Smith’s mother made one key alteration to her grandmother’s process: including the coveted small pickles alongside the larger ones. “It was always a fight over who got the baby pickles,” she recalls, “but when my siblings and I started canning, we made jars specifically with only baby pickles. That way, there were no fights!”

Today, Anita is a mother of two and hopes to pass on these cherished recipes as her children grow. “I’ve already taught my daughters how to can, so I know this recipe will live on—not just with my daughters but perhaps with their children too.”

In a world where family traditions can easily fade away, Smith reflects on the significance of preserving these moments. “It only takes two generations to lose family traditions. If one person skips it, it’s much easier for the next generation to forget. Before you know it, it’s lost, and the recipes and knowledge disappear.”

Family recipes evolve but always remain at the heart of home canning.

Despite the labor-intensive nature of canning, Smith finds joy in the entire process. To her, the only thing that should vanish is the last baby pickle—one final nod to the family legacy she upholds every autumn.

As the harvest season draws to a close, communities across North America find solace and connection in gathering produce, taking part in age-old traditions like canning that keep their families tied to the past. As each jar seals, it encapsulates not only the flavors of summer but the memories and stories of those who came before us, ensuring that even in the chill of winter, the warmth of family heritage remains alive and well.

Whether you’re an experienced canner or a curious newcomer, seize the opportunity this season to explore the rich world of preserving your own homegrown delights. From hearty vegetables to delectable jams, the journey of canning enlivens family bonds and enriches our dinner tables—one jar at a time.