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I Love the Cannery

Did I mention that I love the cannery? To me, it is the most sacred place I know. More sacred than even the temple. I cry when I talk about the cannery…which happened as recently as last Sunday during our Relief Society Committee meeting.

Now I know that's a strong statement—and probably not very logical—but it's true.

Yes, in the temple we perform service for others that is eternal and lasting and, well, critical for exaltation. I get that. But for me it's hard to see that far sometimes.

In the cannery, we perform service for others that is immediate and obviously impactful. There we are, just a bunch of regular folks, producing life-sustaining food for those in need. It's pure awesome in a can.

I love it so much that we have more food storage than we can store. And, I confess, we even have a few things we will never use (like white flour macaroni and fruit drink mix), that I bought while caught up in the spirit of cannery amazingness.

Big Changes to LDS Canneries

Last year the church made some big cannery changes. Then they tried so soothe over the resulting panic that swept the Bloggernacle.

No home storage centers are being closed, but the Church is making welcomed modifications in its operations at most of these centers that will help to better serve the needs of members of the Church, as well as significantly improve efficiency.

In all but 12 of the Church's 101 home storage centers in the U.S. and Canada, patrons will no longer self-can products, but they may purchase these same items pre-canned or prepackaged at no additional cost.

Big New Changes to LDS Canneries

Now, four months later, word on the street is that, in fact, the concern may have been warranted. According to an official church notice forwarded to me today and dated October 23, 2013, the remaining canneries are changing. Only 12 canneries will continue to operate as usual:

Canada

• Alberta, Letheridge

USA

• Arizona
  • Mesa
• Idaho
  • Boise
  • Idaho Falls
• Texas
  • Dallas
• Utah
  • Lindon
  • Logan
  • Ogden
  • Sandy
  • Springville
  • St. George
  • Welfare Square

Beginning November 1, 2013, all 89 remaining “home storage centers” will stock only the following:

Prepackaged

• fruit drink mix
• regular oats
• quick oats
• powdered milk
• hot cocoa mix
• sugar
• macaroni
• spaghetti bites
• apples slices
• white rice
• white wheat
• hard red wheat
• white flour
• pancake mix
• pinto beans
• potato pearls
• potato flakes

Bulk

• white beans
• black beans
• refried beans
• carrots
• onions

Also sad is that “loaner equipment and canning supplies will no longer be available at these locations.”

What To Do?

Fortunately, for me, I live in Lindon and we have a cannery that will remain in operation. But I first fell in love with the cannery when I lived in Boca Raton, Florida, and drove to a funny little building in Ft. Lauderdale—or met as someone's home—to do the work. But what if you don't?

1. Produce and can on your own.
2. Look for sales of canned items at local grocery stores and bulk sales.
3. Use the remaining canneries to purchase existing items.
4. Order the same items from the LDS Store. Here is the self-reliance section.

What are you going to do for your food storage needs?

Alison Moore Smith is a 61-year-old entrepreneur who graduated from BYU in 1987. She has been (very happily) married to Samuel M. Smith for 40 years. They are parents of six incredible children and grandparents to two astounding grandsons. She is the author of The 7 Success Habits of Homeschoolers.