I am the ward Temporal Prepardness person, which means I go to the cannery. A lot. I am on a first name basis with the guy who runs it. The last time I went, which was yesterday, I picked up 229 empty cans, corresponding metal and plastic lids, oxygen absorbers, and about 100 lbs of food. I did this with the help of another girl who was a direct answer to prayer (I swear that kind of stuff only happens when I am incredibly desperate, which always makes me a little nervous, because I’m often stuck saying to God, ‘DUDE, You cut that SO CLOSE! Couldja give just a teensy weensy bit more breathing room next time?’).
(Oh, and the answer is always NO, by the way).
The cannery is a great place. It’s a bustling hive of the kind of activity that makes you feel awesomely righteous while participating. Like you are building up the kingdom of God while thumbing your nose at the world. Like you are saying, “Yeah, BRING IT ON, hurricane season. I’ve got 6 months worth of dehydrated apple slices. I can TAKE YOU DOWN!”
(That was for humorous effect only. Please don’t tempt the fates.)
There is one problem with the cannery, though. It smells like puppy breath. Which some think is kind of a warm, happy, animal smell. But think puppy breath from a puppy who has been eating dehydrated onions, and you get a better idea of what I’m talking about.
The smell doesn’t really go away, either. It gets into your clothes, your hair, and it definitely gets into your cans. I had to organize the 229 cans I picked up yesterday into individual orders, and I had everything spread out in my living room (and it’s a good thing I got extra cans. Let’s just say that toddlers think that empty #10 cans make great toys). I came down this morning, and thought, “Hey, my house smells like onion puppy breath. What’s up with THAT?’
It will make your pantry slightly stinky, too. I didn’t really think it was that bad until my son told my neighbor, “Hey, your pantry smells REALLY good!”
She was puzzled.
I didn’t explain.
I left it to her sordid imagination to figure out what we could possibly have in our pantry that would cause such a comment. Whatever she came up with was sure to be more normal than my 100 lbs of wheat and 6 months supply of dehydrated carrots.
So please visit your local cannery whenever you can, and put your shoulder to the wheel to follow the Prophet’s counsel to be self reliant in case of an emergency. But just remember to stock up with plenty of chocolate chips afterwards to avoid having that not so fresh feeling as you step into your pantry.
Other deep thoughts:
“The Office” totally rocks. Thank heavens for Netflix and instant play buttons. At this rate, DH and I will be done with the entire series by Sunday.
You know I try to stock up on those chocolate chips but I must have mice (with rather human-sized mouths) or something because for some reason every time I go to find them so I can bake cookies something (or someone…or many someones) has eaten them already.
Costco sells chocolate chips by the 1/2 ton, I believe. I’ve got a few bags the size of Delaware in my basement food room (which smells just like your pantry).
I always feel like I’m playing on the Lord’s starting line when I go to the cannery. I whistle and sing while I wear my hair net and latex gloves.
I love the cannery. The spirit there reminds me of the temple. but I’ve done a lot of family canning there the last couple of years, and I’ve been very grateful for it.
But I’ve never noticed that puppy smell before.
Our cannery smells just fine, unless of course you are canning the onions, or puppies, that day.
Your husband went on a mission to Korea, and you are blogging about how the cannery makes you think of puppies? I’m a little worried.
To each their own, I guess. You can stuff you’re going to eat, right?
Just remember to use lots of barbecue sauce and garlic . . .
The cannery is so much better than Cosco, they don’t say prayers with the staff before shopping at Cosco. You also don’t get to mix flour and hot cocoa mix in the same can for one of your bestest friends.
We so have the world beat. They think we’re insane, soon they’ll beg for our dehydrated carrots.
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The cannery I’ve been to didn’t smell like that. I wonder if something died under the foundation at yours. I’ve never heard of that before. That’s just weird.
My cannery has a distinct smell too, but it’s just a cardboard-boxy, inoffensive odor. Smells are a big deal to me; it would drive me crazy to have a stinky pantry. Have you tried vinegar? It’s an excellent deodorizer. Wipe your cans with a cloth wet with 1 part white distilled vinegar and 1 part water. The vinegar smell goes away as soon as it’s dry. You can also add a couple drops of essential oil to help with the vinegar odor, if it really bothers you.
Our cannery doesn’t have a bad smell. It is one of my happy places because of the feeling I get when I leave either loaded with my own stuff or just a happy feeling.
I would have never thought of puppy breath — but now that you say that - I won’t ever be able to get it out of my mind. Thanks for that!
My pantry smells the same.
I’d love to have a pantry.
I’d love to have time to go to the cannery, but I work full time and have 2 kids in soccer and all the rest of the things I can’t do during the day because I’m at work. When I got laid off I canned chicken at the wet cannery. Never again. That was disgusting.