The follow excerpt is from authors John Ivanko and Lisa Kivirist ’s new book , Homemade for Sale , Second Edition(New Society Publishers , December 2022 : pre - purchase order here now at a 20 percent discount ) and is reissue with permission from the publishing firm .
“ There are all variety of high - acid canned foods that we can prefer to make and sell in our cottage home kitchen under your country ’s bungalow food law , everything from jams and jellies , fruit , butters , shrubs , pickles , sauerkraut , flavored vinegars , Indian relish sauces , even juice , ” say Renee Pottle , author ofProfitable Preserves : How to Start an Artisan Jam and Jelly Business .
“ So how do you know which product is the right one for you ? ” prompts Pottle . “ Many of us have an thought with a formula in mind , or perchance you rise an surfeit of apricots on your farm and you would wish to make mess out of them . Perhaps you do n’t grow anything , but you have a famous peach chutney recipe that all your supporter and household tell you that you should make and deal . ”
“ First of all , whatever your canned intersection is , it should be something you bang to make , ” notify Pottle , who ’s also a Master Food Preserver , getting started with canning as a child while hang out in her Nana ’s kitchen . “ You will be gain this production over and over . So , if you ’re not crazy about the whole jelly - making process , do n’t take a jelly business . ” This hold to any canned solid food product , not just jelly . The production has to be something you like to do .
“ Do you have easy access to the ingredients needed to make your tin nutrient product ? ” call for Pottle . “ And are the ingredients affordable , if it turns out you buy them and not develop them yourself ? Finally , when you bestow up the constituent and publicity costs , plus factor in your labor , can you trade your products at a profit where you survive ? ”
Sourcing locally or regionally tends to be the best manner to keep the costs down and secure the high - timbre factor , harvested at their tip of ripeness and , therefore , flavor . Beyond affordable and accessible ingredients , she ’s flying to point out other potential constriction , like the availableness of canning jars , lids , or spices . Supply chain suffering can crop up in unanticipated ways , so it ’s wise to have a backup design so production delay can be avoided .
say more : These 5 methods of food conservation bypass canning whole .
“ Do n’t swim upstream , ” cautions Pottle . “ Avoid opt a merchandise that you have to win over your customer to buy or that you have to overly excuse . Most masses see jams and jellies and pickles and salsa . You might have to explicate a regional fruit like marionberries , but citizenry see jam . However , they might walk right by your beautiful jounce of mustard because they do n’t understand it as a pickled product . ”
“ The biggest craft - off when working from our habitation kitchen is probably giving up a sure degree of creative thinking , ” admits Pottle . “ downhearted - Lucy in the sky with diamonds nutrient , like peppercorn jelly , usually are n’t let . Anything that includes alcohol , like wine jelly or ale jelly , probably is n’t allowed either under a cottage food for thought law . For case , your state might let you make peach jam , but they wo n’t lease you make persimmon jam . You might be able-bodied to make pickles from cucumbers , but not from carrots . The rules seem arbitrary , and to a certain degree they are . ”
“ Some states will let you make jamming at home , ” continues Pottle . “ Some will permit you make pickles at home . Some will let you make sauerkraut at home . Some will permit you make two of those , but not the other . Some will let you make all three . So , before you get too worked up about what you ’re going to produce , make certain that you ’ve tally to make certain it ’s effectual in your commonwealth . Either work with the cottage intellectual nourishment police you have , or you ’ll need to become an advocate and get the police force change in your commonwealth . ”
“ Because our products are in cans , the jolt themselves sell your delicious home product at farm stand up or pop - up food - related events , ” says Pottle , observe that the colorful terminate item has plenty of eye solicitation and does n’t need to be covered over by lots of labeling . “ Be originative with label , but there ’s no motivation to get have a bun in the oven away with it . Stick with well-to-do labels . Same for received jars rather than the more expensive imported ones unless you ’re sure you’re able to get a draw more money for each jar sell . Otherwise , you ’ll be fall back any net income you might have made . ”
“ Starting a home - based business organization is always an exciting venture , ” share Pottle . “ I ’ve get going several over the past three or four ten and in various location and various types . We ’re bubbling with optimism , but to keep that optimism , it ’s best to avoid pricey mistakes . Do n’t get emotionally involved with either your intersection or your packaging . If something is too expensive , you have to be unforced to give it up and move on to the next thing . ”
“ Remember , you are making scrumptious canned food for thought products you love , ” resolve Pottle . “ You are share it with other people and they are paying you for it . ” That ’s the perfect recipe for job success .
