I remember my mom only making jellies, but grandma and great grandma were big on food preserving. They loved their gardens and it showed when great grandma would stand proudly with a six foot tall jumbo pink banana squash. It wouldn't go to waste that's for sure. When I married my hubbie and we moved to the country after I finished college... he told me about all these wonderful goodies his mother canned when they grew up on their farm. Being a lover of recipes, I researched and collected the necessary canning equipment to start my water bath canning. It seems like such a long time ago, but we have so much food now I know I can trust to be healthier than what is in the store and I know I won't run out any time soon. That feeling of knowing you can feed your family for the next month or so on what you've preserved is a wonderful feeling.