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[ejones351]

The Practice of Canning

The process of canning foods as a means of preservation has been around for quite some time, in both an industrial and individual sense. Since the early 1900's, canning has developed on an individual level to increase the longevity of one’s produce or meat products and sustain proper nutrition through off-seasons. Due to rations in America, "Home canning soared during World War II, reaching its peak in 1943, with over 4.1 billion jars canned in homes and community canning centers" (U.S. Department of Agriculture, n.d.). Though this practice is not as popular now as it was during the early 1940's, it is still a pretty common practice among rural communities. Access to local produce and farmable land is a privilege that rural communities have, though widespread poverty often ensures that canning is a tradition passed along due to necessity. This was the case for my family, my mother learning how to can combined with my father and mother's work in our garden, is how we ate beans, carrots, beets, applesauce, and pasta sauce all throughout the winter. Every cent added up when it came to purchasing items from the grocery store, and canning, done with the right knowledge and diligence, offers an almost self-sufficient lifestyle. Canning supplies are often shared among family, friends, and even neighbors, with an understanding that each person shares their excess with others. Canning, from my perspective, reinforces the idea that what we eat is not and has never been on a completely individual level. Every aspect, the seeds that have been selectively passed on, the hose that watered the vegetable, and the pot that simmered the sauce, have all been touched by people who have come together out of a sense of necessity, but also share out of a sense of togetherness.

Out of a sense of love for this practice, I am providing a link below to a YouTube video that acts as a wonderful, in-depth introduction into canning as a practice in case anyone is interested.

That 1870's Homestead (2022). Canning 101: A Beginner's Guide (Back to Basics). YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgI8h68EiU8.

U.S. Department of Agriculture. (n.d.). How did we can? The evolution of home canning practices. National Agricultural Library. Retrieved from https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/ipd/canning/exhibits/show/wartime-canning/world-war-ii

U.S. Government Printing Office. (1943). Can all you can: it's a real war job! Tennessee Virtual Archive. Retrieved from https://teva.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15138coll18/id/253/.

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Hunting - A necessity for some

In exploring other ways that New York's North Country contributes to our food choices, hunting was a topic that I really wanted to take a deeper look at. Many individuals, myself included, may find that hunting violates our personal values and choose not to partake, but I also believe that this opinion is one born out of luxury.  My father has been hunting for his entire life, and in his case, this was always out of necessity rather than just enjoyment. Growing up with a large family and in a rural area, my father and his siblings had to hunt to supplement their overall food consumption, and he continued to do so while raising a family under similar conditions. In my opinion and experience, those who hunt out of necessity tend to form a much deeper connection between themselves and the animal that they have hunted. My father utilizes every portion of a deer that he can, and shares excess portions, if any, with family members or friends. The environmental impact of hunting is also something that my father takes very seriously, often ensuring that he and others are practicing safe and ethical methods. When looking at what New York State has to say about the importance of hunting, it is stated that hunting serves in, "helping to balance wildlife populations, promote family traditions, while fostering an understanding and respect for the environment and the complexity in which it functions" (NYS Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, n.d.). While many of us may disagree with the practice of hunting, we can at least agree that the practice of hunting supports the preservation efforts of our natural land. Similar to cultivating your own garden, I believe that there is something to be said about the connection that is formed between an individual and their food when relying on hunting as a food source.

NYS. (n.d.). Parks, recreation and historic preservation. Hunting - NYS Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation. Retrieved from https://parks.ny.gov/recreation/hunting/#:~:text=Hunting%20in%20New%20York%20State&text=Hunting%20is%20a%20safe%20and,complexity%20in%20which%20it%20functions.

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Composting - A Breakdown

One aspect that I feel is often left out when discussing our relationship with food in our everyday lives is food waste and how we handle it. I had the opportunity to attend a 4-H summer camp, Camp Wabasso, while growing up and worked there for a few summers once I was old enough. One of the responsibilities that I took on at camp, as young as fifteen, was composting. At the start of a new week with new campers, I would explain our compost bins and discuss the different items that can and cannot be placed in our compost bin. In their guide for composting at home, the Environmental Protection Agency outlines nitrogen-rich food items that can be added, like raw vegetable scraps, eggshells, and coffee filters, as well as foods that should be avoided, like meat or dairy products. The other main component of a proper compost pile is the carbon-rich materials that house and aid in breaking down our food waste. These can include items from our backyard, such as dry leaves, twigs, old logs, or dead plants, or items that are man-made waste, like untreated saw dust or wood chips or cardboard (EPA, Composting at Home). Water and air are the final steps to developing a compost, with proper moisture and occasional stirring being a crucial element in developing results from your pile. To compensate for the food waste that we had daily, we had three composting bins at camp that were constructed out of wooden pallets and wrapped with chicken wire.

Composting gave me another outlet for my love of gardening and my desire to lower my environmental impact. Additionally, composting forced me to really come to terms with my own food waste habits and gave me a new perspective on environmental impact on an individual level. This also allowed me to, as I became a camp counselor, to help others form these connections within their own lives.

Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Composting at Home. EPA. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home#whatcancom

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Toes in the Mud

Many beloved memories of my childhood stem from my family’s vegetable garden and the many years spent tending to it. My parents had to find a way to feed seven children in addition to themselves so we spent many years planting and growing a large quantity and variety of vegetables that would be either consumed fresh or canned for later use. There are so many ways in which growing up with this experience has impacted every aspect of my life. Watching the process of a seed growing into a tiny plant and then into a fully mature plant producing its own produce, from something that you held in your hand to a full basket of beans or peppers, is an experience that I cannot possibly give proper justice. Tilling the garden before planting or weeding the carrots during summer vacation is not many people's ideal way to spend time, but we did it because we had to. Waiting an entire season, through planting and weeding, to be rewarded with my own pumpkin to carve for Halloween taught me the importance of patience and diligence. Filling baskets of excess produce or canned goods for our neighbors developed my understanding of the importance of community and sharing with others. Now that I live in an apartment that limits my ability to grow a garden, I have found creative ways to grow food inside, like herbs or small fruits. I have found that I am the happiest version of myself with my toes in the mud and a shovel in my hand.

One vegetable that we did not grow in our garden, and I have recently discovered that you can grow in your home fairly easily, is potatoes. Planted in a bucket or a bag, potatoes would make for a great introduction for anyone interested in gardening, or for those like myself who are looking to expand their knowledge or capabilities. Tracey Besemer (2020) provides an excellent guide on growing potatoes in a container, which I have used in my personal research, and I will link below.

Besemer, T. (2020, August 14). How to grow potatoes in a 5-gallon bucket. Rural Sprout. Retrieved from https://www.ruralsprout.com/grow-potatoes-in-5-gallon-bucket/

Reich, L. (2020). Photo of a vegetable garden. Cleveland.com. Associated Press. Retrieved from https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2020/04/how-to-start-a-vegetable-garden-the-basics.html.

[ejones351]

Super Odd Television

Throughout the late 2000's and 2010's there was a large spike in the number of "semi-reality" shows that delved into different aspects of individuals lives. Particularly, one that I remember watching as a child, was a British show that aired from 2008 to 2014 by the name of Supersize vs Superskinny which explored two extreme sides of eating habits. Overall, the show took two individuals who had different eating habits, like overeating and undereating, and had them swap their normal diets for an entire week. The show also explored a variety of topics throughout the main storyline, such as eating disorders, diet fads, health conditions, and fitness. Now that I am older, I realize that a lot of this show was very problematic and could have been executed in a better way, but I do think that a lot of the side plots were pretty informative for a child and pre-teen. The overall message that I took from the show at that age was that it was important to be aware of your body and your habits and understand the ways in which these habits can contribute to your life as a whole. I still think about this show in my day-to-day life, and I feel that it absolutely aided in my ability to analyze harmful patterns in my eating habits and in recognizing propaganda that disguises itself in the form of diet fads, hyperbolic health concerns, and gym culture.

I have linked a full episode of the show, which is mostly available through YouTube or Amazon Prime Video. Personally, I feel as though this show offered a lot of insight into these topics that were not largely discussed at the time, but now feels outdated and shallow in comparison to the options for education that we have now. Still, I wanted to provide a link for anyone interested, or for anyone else who remembers this show during this odd era of public television.

Cover Image for Supersize vs Superskinny. (n.d.). Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supersize_vs_Superskinny.

Foster, C., & Wright, O. (2019). Supersize vs Superskinny, Season 4, Episode 1. YouTube. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIWX95stSTI.

[ejones351]

Eating Local

Being raised in a small town in New York's North Country has played a large role in the food that I consume and the ways in which I obtain food. Growing a garden and canning were necessities for my family, but our large numbers forced my parents to think of creative ways to ensure that we were all fed. For as long as I can remember, we have purchased a majority of the vegetables that we weren't able to grow from a farmer who lives at the end of our road. He has a tiny little stand on the front of his property and sells his produce all throughout the spring and summer months, as well as seasonal goods like pumpkins or Christmas trees. Within our little town, this farmer is known by name by everyone, and it isn't uncommon to hear conversations surrounding his latest batch of squash or corn. Owning a large portion of the surrounding farmland, this farmer hires local teenagers to help during the growing season and often sends them home with a basket of vegetables in addition to their paycheck. This, I believe, is a demonstration of how rural areas can develop their own culture and community that is based on the food that is available to them. Despite having access to off-season produce through stores like Walmart or Target, anyone from my small town can agree that nothing tastes sweeter than the corn that was grown right down the street from us.

Getty Images. (n.d.). Produce stand with a variety of vegetables. iStockPhoto. Retrieved from https://www.istockphoto.com/photos/produce-stand.

[ejones351]

The "Ours"

Whenever I am prompted on my family, I always refer to the movie Yours, Mine & Ours (Simonds, 2005) which focuses around two different families that come together and unite as one. My parents were both divorced from their spouses at around the same time, and just so happened to come together to create me, the self-proclaimed "ours". This dynamic has played a role in every aspect of my life, but it was not until I started this course that I explored this dynamic and how it reveals itself within my relationship to food. As the baby of the family, I was able to have much more one-on-one time with my parents while my siblings grew up and left the house, which I believe is the main factor in linking my family role to my connection with food. My ability to sit and watch my parents bake or help them prepare dinner was a luxury in comparison to my siblings, who always had a baby sister running around or had to share bonding time with the rest of their siblings. As a child I believed that knowing my family's fudge recipe meant that I was special, but as an adult I now realize that this skill that I have developed is both a luxury and a privilege. I cannot imagine a childhood without dancing with my mom as we make Christmas candies, or hearing stories of my dad's youth as we make his grandmother’s donut recipe, but these memories were only possible due to my luck of the draw in being an "ours".

Simonds, R., & Kidd, D. (2005). Yours, Mine & Ours [DVD]. United States; Paramount Pictures.

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A world without PSL's

Pumpkin spice lattes, Jack-O-Lanterns, pumpkin pie, and butternut squash are just a few of my favorite parts of autumn, and it's scary to think that without the help of Native North American farmers, we would not have these fall traditions. Like many fruits and vegetables, the original versions of squash and pumpkins were almost inedible. A tough exterior combined with a bitter taste left these earlier versions mostly to the larger mammals, like mammoths or mastadons. However, as these larger animals began to go extinct, so did these early squash and pumpkins. Humans, thankfully, found use out of these fruits and began the process of selective breeding. "People had been using wild gourds for containers and possibly even floatation devices for fishnets. But over time, they began eating the fruit, replanting the ones that were most palatable" (Woo, 2015). As time went on, squash and pumpkins grew to have a much milder taste, and have become a staple food item in many of our houses during the chilly, autumn months.

Schuh, M. (n.d.). Growing pumpkins and Winter squash in home gardens. UMN Extension. Retrieved from https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/pumpkins-and-winter-squash

Woo, M. (2015, November 16). Ancient farmers made pumpkins possible. Inside Science. Retrieved from https://www.insidescience.org/news/ancient-farmers-made-pumpkins-possible

[ejones351]

The Sweet Retreat

Sweet dreams are made of treats, and who are the people of Canton, NY to disagree? The Sweet Retreat Bakery opened their doors in August of this year and have already made quite the name for themselves. Each day is met with a new selection of baked goods, such as scones, turnovers, and cookies, as well as daily lunch specials like wraps or soup. Alongside their ever-changing menu, specialty coffees are offered occasionally, but a regular cup of joe is always up for grabs. Upon entering, The Sweet Retreat has seating options avaliable for patrons and a long counter displaying that days selection of baked goods. Lining the walls of the bakery are pictures of various pastries, coffees, and custom-made cakes made by the people of The Sweet Retreat. Sitting directly on Main Street, the bakery has wonderful curb appeal and could lure anyone in with the sweet smell of baked goods that seems to surround the building. During my visit I witnessed people of all demographics enjoying the sweet treats that The Sweet Retreat had to offer. Parents and their children sat at tables coloring and eating their breakfast, older couples came in for a box of scones, and college kids flitted about in search of caffeine. To classify The Sweet Retreat would be difficult, due to their unique style and menu, but I feel that they fall into two categories. Both a Fast Casual Restaurant and a Coffee Shop, The Sweet Retreat allows the people of Canton to enjoy their bakery in whatever way feels best to them. (Types of restaurants, 2022)

I added a photo of the box of baked goods that I picked up for my nieces and I to enjoy together. Overall, the price of the box was around twenty dollars, tip included, and each item was priced seperately rather than by box.

Types of restaurants. WebstaurantStore. (2022, October 7). Retrieved from https://www.webstaurantstore.com/article/353/types-of-restaurants.html

[ejones351]

Plant-Based "Milk"

When I was a teenager, after watching a particularly horrifying video showing the daily operations of a large-scale dairy farm, I decided that I wanted to venture into the world of "plant-based dairy alternatives". My first introduction into milk alternatives was almond milk, which was a pretty abrupt shift from drinking 2% dairy milk my entire life. After using almond milk for a while, learning to bake dairy-free treats and lower my overall dairy consumption, I began to hear about oat milk. Oat milk offered a lower environmental impact than other plant-based alternatives in aspects like water usuage, land usage, and greenhouse gas emissions. "To produce one pound of oats, it takes one-sixth the amount of water and resources needed to produce one pound of almonds. Furthermore, oats also use 80% less land to grow than dairy milk. In fact, a glass of oat milk is responsible for less greenhouse gas emissions than soy milk or dairy milk" (Khakh, 2019). In hoping to minimize my contribution to harmful dairy farming processes and my overall net negative impact on the environment, I have worked to incorporate oat milk as a day to day product in my life. Additionally, I find the taste of oat milk to be much better than all other plant-based options I have tried and I never have to worry about taste differences when I use it for baking or cooking, but that is just my own personal opinion.

Khakh, C., Fox, E., & Kamis, T. (2019, December 10). An exploration of alternative dairy – the environmental and economic impacts of oat, almond and soy milks. The Cornell Daily Sun. Retrieved from https://cornellsun.com/2019/12/09/an-exploration-of-alternative-dairy-the-environmental-and-economic-impacts-of-oat-almond-and-soy-milks/

Quelch, J. (2021, October 1). Picture of Plant-Based Milk options, 5 plant milks for new vegans: How vegan milk compares to dairy. Vegancuts. Retrieved from https://vegancuts.com/plant-based-milk-guide/

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Sounds...fishy.

I'll admit that when first pondering the foods I abstain from for personal reasons, other than taste or texture, I struggled. I have made many attempts in my life to go either meat or dairy free for political and nutritional reasons, but have always had to go back to my normal diet due to health reasons. After prompting friends and family members with the same question, I could only think of one food that I will not eat due to a potential health concern. Canned tuna, particularly white albacore and skipjack (chunk light), have extremely high levels of mercury. Contaminating oceans and natural waterways, mercury is absorbed by the natural bacteria of the environment and turned into methylmercury. Methylmercury, as it moves up the food chain, does not get broken down and instead becomes more concentrated within each organism as the cycle continues. Olsen (2018) outlined a few symptoms and possible side affects of mercury poisoning, which can include memory loss, tremors, vision loss, fertility loss, change in blood pressure, or feelings of numbness in one's extremities. While most people do not incorporate tuna into their everyday diet, many are unaware of just how much mercury they could be consuming or how long they should wait between eating it. Olsen (2018) provided a table which incorporates factors such as an individual's weight and the type of tuna they consume, based around the average amount of mercury found within the specific tunas. This table, I believe, illustrates just how easy it is for someone to consume large amounts of mercury if they are unaware of the realities of canned tuna. While I realistically understand that eating tuna every once in a while would not do much harm to me, I still try to stay away from it as much as possible.

Olsen, N. (2018, June 28). Tuna: Risks and how often to eat it. Medical News Today. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/306246#how-often-should-you-eat-canned-tuna

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Christmas Candles

A piece of lettuce, a ring of pineapple, a slice of orange rind, a half of a banana, and a maraschino cherry do not sound like typical ingredients for a modern holiday treat, but the construction of these food items has been a tradition in my family for generations. My father was born and raised in Gouverneur, a rural town in New York, in the early 1960′s and made these with his family around Christmas. This recipe is not particularly common nowadays, but was pretty common amongst American households from the 1920′s -1960′s (Remember the candle salad, 2021). It was a fairly cheap treat that could be assembled and eaten by the whole family, which made it wonderful activity to be enjoyed around holiday seasons. In my family’s case, and I suspect many other families as well, I believe that the Christmas tradition of this dessert did not come about by happenstance. It’s not uncommon for those living in a rural community to go without certain luxury items as a result of poverty or due to a lack of access, and many families cannot afford to waste any of the food that they buy. Every ingredient in the candles can be recycled into similar holiday dishes, like bananas into banana bread or pineapple into various homemade salads, which made this a perfect opportunity for my family to enjoy a treat and stretch their groceries. Additionally, this is an activity that not only keeps the kids busy through the hustle and bustle, but it is something that everyone can do and enjoy together. Many variations of the recipe exist, some with greens alternative to the lettuce, others with yogurt, whipped cream, or even mayonnaise used to create a wax drip effect, which can lend to different styles of candles. I however, like many, have found that I prefer my family recipe to be the best way to enjoy this unique treat. 

Work Cited

Dreyer, E. (n.d.). Pineapple and banana candles. Just A Pinch Recipes. Retrieved from https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/snack/other-snack/pineapple-and-banana-candles.html

Remember the candle salad, a vintage holiday recipe that make you blush! Vintage News Daily. (2021, December 6). Retrieved from https://vintagenewsdaily.com/remember-the-candle-salad-a-vintage-holiday-recipe-that-make-you-blush/