My family loves home canned produce.  We have a large garden and process many hundreds of jars every year.  Over the years I have learned what they like best and what may sit there for too long.  My canning has become streamlined, with my time being better spent as I concentrate on what items are most popular in our kitchen.

I have also realized that we are not going to get a bumper crop in everything every year.  On the years we do, I need to be prepared to put up more than we need so that there may be enough for the next year.  I would have a hard time going without certain things in my food storage, such as applesauce or raspberry jam.

The first thing to think about is the garden.  What will you raise?  Does it can well, or is it better frozen or dehydrated?  I personally really like canned green beans, but I don’t bottle corn any more.  We freeze it instead.  My family doesn’t eat a lot of beets, but I still do some every year or two because they are so nutritious.  Think about your diet, and what you would like to do differently in it, and then plant what you think you will need.