If your garden is brimming with seasonal fruits and vegetables, you may find that your harvest produces more than you can feasibly eat. Rather than waste the excess, break out the jars and preserve the produce to enjoy year-round. Here are three reasons why you should can your fall fruit tree and garden harvest for future use.

1. Preserve Your Harvest

If you have a vegetable garden or fruit trees, seasonal foods like beets, pomegranate, squash, Brussels sprouts, and pumpkins may emerge more quickly than you can consume. While you may be able to use some ingredients right away, canning lets you stock the pantry and eat more later. Not only is the process simple, but it’s also sustainable—you avoid wasting food and cut down on store-bought produce. Plus, you can enjoy an irresistible taste of fall for the rest of the year.

2. Make Delicious & Easy Meals

Canned pumpkins make the most mouthwatering pies, while sweet potatoes add a special touch to any dinner. Pickling your own vegetables gives you an array of zesty snacks or lunch sides, too. Canning is a convenient, inexpensive way to build variety into your menu. Simply break out a jar to brighten up a plate. As a bonus, these treats are healthy for you, too.

3. Give Gifts

From homemade pomegranate jam to pumpkin butter, there are as many canned treats as there are people on your gift-giving list. Make the holiday season easy and full of love when you give something everyone will eagerly gobble up. You can also spend valuable time with loved ones when you invite them to can with you this season. Invite them to help you harvest from the garden and fruit trees, prepare the jars and seasonings, and can fall’s bounty. You can even give your friends and family labels to claim their favorites. 

For the garden supplies and seeds you need to ensure a fruitful fall harvest, head to Racine’s Feed, Garden & Supply in Robertsdale, AL. They offer a wide selection of tools and fertilizers to keep gardens and fruit trees throughout Baldwin County properly nourished every season. They even have a range of plants and trees to help you get a head start on next year’s crop. For more information about their inventory, visit their website or call (251) 947-3003.