Economic and Historical Significance of Canning in Appalachia

Economic and Historical Significance of Canning in Appalachia Keith Durst Prized by residents of Appalachia for many generations are Appalachian fruits and vegetables. People recognized the importance of canning once there was the realization that heat applied to sealed glass jars would result in the preservation of both fruits and vegetables, thus extending the use and benefits of their produce. This enabled people to continue consuming fruits and vegetables well past their growing seasons. The advent of canning enhanced the winter eating habits of Appalachians and increased their nutrition levels by increasing their variety of food consumption. Appalachian people were able to take this canning knowledge and to turn their hard work into an additional source of income and increase their ability to partake in bartering. The ability to can produce amplified their efforts to obtain other necessary goods that aided everyday life. Although Appalachian women canned more often than urban women, urban women also participated in the process by purchasing the goods sold by the Appalachian producers and canners. This created a means of supplementary income for Appalachian families that relied on the land as a means of permanence. A known reality of farming led to new imagined possibilities that yielded increased commerce and sustainability in Appalachia