Points to Consider
Here are some questions to consider before starting a community center:
How many people will commit themselves to organizing a center?
How much time will they give?
How much support can be expected from the community, town officials, local growers?
How many community and family gardens are in the area?
How near are the community gardens to the cannery site?
Is the site near a well-travelled route?
Is parking available?
Can the canning center exist merely to provide a service to the community, or will the cannery have to become involved in a commercial venture?
If some food processed at the cannery is to be sold, are local farmers willing to contract with the cannery to supply it with produce? How close are these farmers to the cannery?
Is a building available for canning purposes (for example, some old creamery)?
If so, what is the size of the building? What is its condition?
Are there cement floors and walls constructed so they can be washed down daily?
Is there room for storage, a walk-in cooler?
Is the sewage system adequate?
Does the building have existing equipment that could be put to use?
Is a dependable supply of potable water available?
What is the minimum water pressure and is it constant?
Is the water “hard?” If so, what is the analysis?
What type of electricity is available?
What is the cost of electricity per KWH and demand rate for 240 volt, 3 phase, 60 cycle?
What is the availability and cost of gas (natural or LP) or of fuel oil?
What is the number of families expected to participate? How many are low-income families?
What are the principal foods to be canned?
If it is anticipated that some products will be processed for sale, what will those products be?
Is there a market for the “for-sale” items?
Will canning supplies such as jars, lids, screw bands, tin cans be available? Can they be purchased at wholesale prices?
Is at least one person who is knowledgeable in food preservation methods available to supervise the cannery?
What will be the charge for processing a pint or a quart of food?
Will low-income people be able to pay this amount?
Are funds available to subsidize the canning of food for low-income people?
It is important to obtain a site easily accessible to the public. Selectmen, property owners, realtors should be approached for potential sites. Usually the center has limited funds, and it is difficult and takes time to locate an appropriate building with low-cost rent.
In times of a strained economy and high cost of property maintenance, the business community may be hesitant to provide low-cost housing for the site.
Establishing the facility in a publicly owned building, such as a school, is a solution in many communities. These canneries are a part of the public school’s physical plant and have traditionally been operated under supervision of the vocational agriculture and home economics teachers, using school funds.
In recent years, some schools have wanted to close canneries for several reasons: Lack of operating capital, limited use, lack of interest or know-how on the part of participants and teachers. With the resurgence of interest in canning, many new cannery ventures are located in schools but are now funded separately from school budgets.
If the cannery is the result of a community endeavor, adjoining small towns could appropriate funds sufficient to set up and man a center. Such a proposal would have to be presented to the town governing bodies. This points up the need for ample planning time. Devising means to allow the cannery to remain open year-round would favor obtaining a site other than in a public building.