# A couple of canning observations



## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

1.) Everything is hot. The kitchen is hot. The stove is hot. The water bubbling everywhere is hot. The jars are hot. The lids and rings are hot. It's just all hot. 

2.) Last year's gold rings and this year's silver lids are causing my OCD issues to flare up. 

3.) Digging out the old kitchen towels with the holes in them is better than ruining the newer ones. 

4.) It's not a quick process, especially when you break out the pressure canner. 

5.) It's really hot. But quite rewarding. :happy:


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## Prickle (May 9, 2009)

You forgot sticky.


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## Canning Girl (Jan 13, 2010)

PrettyPaisley said:


> 2.) Last year's gold rings and this year's silver lids are causing my OCD issues to flare up.


That cracks me up. I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one who can't stand the mix and match. Keep up the good work. You'll be glad you did.


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## nobodyUknow (Apr 11, 2008)

I'd also mention that it is HOT!


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## jamala (May 4, 2007)

So glad to know the silver/gold issue is not just me! And I agree, HOT and sticky!


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## judylou (Jun 19, 2009)

The heat is one reason why many freeze all their stuff now and wait to do their canning of it come fall and winter.


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## Pelenaka (Jul 27, 2007)

I have that freakin song stuck in my head thanks to those silver lids ... Silver & Gold Silver & Gold something something, about friends, Silver & Gold. 

~~ pelenaka ~~
http://thirtyfivebyninety.blogspot.com/


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## tlag1986 (Jul 3, 2010)

I am blessed to have an outside wood fired cooking stove/grill/oven. It keeps all the heat outside, and I now have a water hydrant close. I don't seem to be able to post any pictures. I have tried and failed every time.


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## GrannyG (Mar 26, 2005)

I love the silver lids.....think they are so pretty.....yes, that hot water and steam along with 102 degree temps makes it very sweaty......


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## Shygal (May 26, 2003)

Haha good, it isnt just me being bugged by the silver lids!


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

I hate the silver lids...I seem to have one or two fail here and there, where non did before


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## Just Little Me (Aug 9, 2007)

I for one freeze it all now, use the heat from canning to heat the house come winter.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

We have been on a streak of 102-107 day's, high humidity, and NO wind, for several weeks now. (It is like walking into a hot wet wool blanket). This is fairly typical this time of year.... but this year, the heat is kicking my buttie. I have altered my sleep schedule as a way to cope. I get up about 1:00 am and get the Canner going. The Dehydrator's run 24 hrs a day right now. All laundry and any oven cooking is all over with before daydreak. As soon as, I am pretty sure I can see my feet ( watching for snakes), I go out and do what I have to in the garden, yard. Early morning is used for weeding, watering and planning. We look forward to 105 forcast for today. Observation: JUST ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE!!!


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## PixieLou (May 1, 2010)

Texasdirtdigger said:


> I have altered my sleep schedule as a way to cope. I get up about 1:00 am and get the Canner going.


I kinda do the same thing. Except I do it alll before I go to bed. I started boiling and skinning my peaches around 9 pm last night, then put the BWB going. Around midnight I put my peach syrup and peach sauce simmering. Turned off the burners when we went to bed at 2 AM. Will process that stuff starting around 9 or 10 tonight. I do my gardening around 7 or 8 pm.


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

We had a turn in the weather - only got up to about 85 yesterday - perfect as the last of my corn was ready and the first of me beans was ready.

Got 40 pints of corn frozen and 19 pints of beans canned. I love working out in my summer kitchen and keeping the mess out of the house. Time to get back out there - got 10 lbs of store bought carrots pealed and ready to chop. 

Cathy


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## Solarmom (Jun 17, 2010)

i never thought about (or even knew you could do this) just freezing stuff until later! I've been doing my canning as soon as I get the stuff to be canned! No wonder my AC bill is so high!!!
will keep this in my mind for future canning projects!


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## coalroadcabin (Jun 16, 2004)

beaglebiz said:


> I hate the silver lids...I seem to have one or two fail here and there, where non did before


I haven't had any failures, yet. The silver lids are working fine for me. But the silver rings are turning black after just a couple of uses! The gold ones get a little dull after they've been used a few times and that's okay with me but I'm not likin' the black.......think I'll save the silver rings for craft projects for the grandkids.


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## plath (Jul 19, 2010)

Yes some of my silver rings are all peely and gross.


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## Phoebesmum (Jan 4, 2009)

I like the silver lids but HATE having gold rings on them! I take them off as soon as they are cool just to not have to look at the mismatch anymore!!


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## Gladrags (Jul 13, 2010)

PrettyPaisley said:


> 1.) Everything is hot. The kitchen is hot. The stove is hot. The water bubbling everywhere is hot. The jars are hot. The lids and rings are hot. It's just all hot.


The food. The food is hot, too. And the spouse is hot because I'm always chasing him out of the kitchen.



> 2.) Last year's gold rings and this year's silver lids are causing my OCD issues to flare up.


It annoys me, too, and I'm pretty easygoing. But the flimsy silver rings annoy me even more. 



> 3.) Digging out the old kitchen towels with the holes in them is better than ruining the newer ones.


LOL, I have canning towels, canning rugs, canning clothes ... 



> 5.) It's really hot. But quite rewarding. :happy:


Indeed!


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## Txsteader (Aug 22, 2005)

judylou said:


> The heat is one reason why many freeze all their stuff now and wait to do their canning of it come fall and winter.


And, oh, how I wish I could wait until cooler weather. But, living in hurricane country, and having lost an entire freezer full of produce a few years ago to hurricane-related power outage, I just have to endure the misery.


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## DMD Farms (Jun 8, 2008)

Canning Girl said:


> That cracks me up. I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one who can't stand the mix and match. Keep up the good work. You'll be glad you did.


I'm always so busy looking at the beauty inside the jars I'd never noticed the colors of the lids or the rings......do love the white lids.
:umno::umno::umno:


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## TJN66 (Aug 29, 2004)

Oh good...I hate the gold rings and silver lids. Ugh...they dont match lol!


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## farmergirl (Aug 2, 2005)

Mis-matched lids and rings bug me, too!

I envy those of you who are canning in air conditioning. How posh, lol 
It's been hotter than heck here for weeks, and the only room we air condition is the master bedroom. I usually wait to start canning until the kitchen temp drops to around 85, which is somewhere near 9 or 10 pm :run:


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## ladytoysdream (Dec 13, 2008)

I have done a lot of canning through the years. Mostly freezing now, but I still try to do a few batches of things each season. I am hoping when we get some cooler days to do some serious jam making. Got all the stuff here, just can't get motivated with the heat. 

My question is regarding the silver lids. I did not know these existed. Are they fairly recent ? What brand name are they ? What store would you buy them at ?
Last year I stocked up on quite a few lids. I probably won't need lids for quite a few years now. I also bought extra pectin the tail end of the season when Walmart marked it down.


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## Horseyrider (Aug 8, 2010)

The silver lids and bands are all that Ball is offering right now. I also despise them. And I also dislike the odd shapes they come up with every few years. Just look at the half pint and pint jars. There are square ones, squat ones, round ones, and flat sided ones, ones with fruit designs and ones with latticework. I'd like to have some uniformity on my shelves, please! I don't want my rows of jams to look like well, food clutter.

I'm lucky on the heat thing though. I refuse to air condition because if I did, I don't think I'd ever go outside. My oven is in a corner in the kitchen between two windows, and the heat rarely builds up. I often have a nice natural breeze; and if I don't, I just put a fan on the floor. It works great. 

But it's still hot. 

Thanks for the laugh this morning!


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## PixieLou (May 1, 2010)

Regarding the silver lids - if you read Ball's website, 

*Why are our preserving lids no longer gold?*
_The BallÂ® and KerrÂ® Preserving Lids have a new brushed silver look this year. The new look matches today&#8217;s kitchens that have more stainless steel and polished nickel finishes. _

Is that the lamest reason ever? So what are all of us to do that don't have stainless steel appliances? Why can't I have white lids to match my appliances? And somehow I missed the trend to have gold plated appliances in the kitchen - to match my gold lids.


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## Gladrags (Jul 13, 2010)

Horseyrider said:


> And I also dislike the odd shapes they come up with every few years. Just look at the half pint and pint jars. There are square ones, squat ones, round ones, and flat sided ones, ones with fruit designs and ones with latticework.


My pantry would drive you nuts! LOL

Most of my jars either came from my mom's basement -- so they're pushing 50 years old -- or from garage sales, so I have quite a variety of brands, shapes, and styles of jars. I think I have every shape you mention ... and then some!

Aside from Ball and Kerr Mason jars, my mom gave me a bunch of Atlas, Crown, and Presto jars. My neighbor gave me a box of "Mom's Mason" jars. Other brands I've picked up include Long-Life, Knox, Golden Harvest, Brockway, and Magic Mason (too bad the jar won't magically do my canning for me! LOL).

My favorites of the bunch are the Atlas jars, made by the Hazel-Atlas Glass Co. in Wheeling. They are real workhorses.


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## ladytoysdream (Dec 13, 2008)

PixieLou said:


> Regarding the silver lids - if you read Ball's website,
> *Why are our preserving lids no longer gold?*
> _The BallÂ® and KerrÂ® Preserving Lids have a new brushed silver look this year. The new look matches todayâs kitchens that have more stainless steel and polished nickel finishes. _
> Is that the lamest reason ever? So what are all of us to do that don't have stainless steel appliances? Why can't I have white lids to match my appliances? And somehow I missed the trend to have gold plated appliances in the kitchen - to match my gold lids.


Thank you BOTH for answering my question. 
WOW....why can't these big name companies leave things alone ? 
If something is their trade mark brand, why would they fiddle with it ? 
If it ain't broke.....don't fix it. 

I don't suppose they tweaked the new color lids for the better ......

Gee, my stove and refrig are black, and the washer / dryer are white. 
My canned goods are in a different room stored, not the kitchen. 

Maybe Ball and a few other companies should put out a survey. 
Do you like our new design or the old and gold...............


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## Gladrags (Jul 13, 2010)

ladytoysdream said:


> I don't suppose they tweaked the new color lids for the better ......


No. They are a lot flimsier, and rust more easily.

It's the New Coke conspiracy all over again!


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## ladytoysdream (Dec 13, 2008)

Gladrags said:


> Most of my jars either came from my mom's basement -- so they're pushing 50 years old -- or from garage sales, so I have quite a variety of brands, shapes, and styles of jars. I think I have every shape you mention ... and then some!
> Aside from Ball and Kerr Mason jars, my mom gave me a bunch of Atlas, Crown, and Presto jars. My neighbor gave me a box of "Mom's Mason" jars. Other brands I've picked up include Long-Life, Knox, Golden Harvest, Brockway, and Magic Mason .My favorites of the bunch are the Atlas jars, made by the Hazel-Atlas Glass Co. in Wheeling. They are real workhorses.


I have quite a variety of jars also. The more odd and unique, the better I like them. When I canned a lot when my kids were growing up, I had 1000 plus jars. I would can about 600 a year. 
Now with just the hubby and me, I keep a lot of pints. And the regular screw on's for the jam ones. I don't like the little ones with the plastic covers.


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## ladytoysdream (Dec 13, 2008)

Gladrags said:


> No. They are a lot flimsier, and rust more easily.
> It's the New Coke conspiracy all over again!


Yup....that's what came to my mind also....the Coke thing


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## Horseyrider (Aug 8, 2010)

They're flimsier??!

I suppose this means a trip to every itty bitty country hardware store, so I can buy out their old gold ones.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

I've had a few days off, back to the caner the end of the week. Buy one get one free Pork loins over tomorrow, so I need to go get some, now that pay day arrived, to fill some jars with. Might be able to get a few more jars of tomatoes....but I think I'll dry them instead so I can focus on the meat. Hopefully next week will be apples....need to call the orchards and see when they are opening. At least I can do it outside on these 90 degree days. Wouldn't you know it will be in the 60's this weekend, but I have other plans!!!

I love the color of the silver lids, but I like silver over gold any day. Not too happy with the quality of them though. I haven't had nay fail, but they sure feel cheap!


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

Horseyrider said:


> They're flimsier??!


Weigh a dozen gold lids and a dozen silver lids and they are almost identical. The rings are exactly the same.

Although I haven't used the silver ones very long, I find that they are not as subject to staining as much as the gold ones. In my damp basement, I'll get some speckling in less than a year on gold ones. Haven't seen any on silver lids from last year's so far. 

Martin


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

I have been not feeling well with a sinus/ear infection this week. I laid down in bed to read and rest after dinner, and DH picked a 5 gallon bucket of tomatoes from the garden. He decided it would be a good idea to start some spaghetti sauce to pressure can. ]
Well, this morning, I looked up and there are splashes of sauce on my ceiling.


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