Canning jars

This past week I tried canning pears for the first time. I was a little intimidated. My Mom had always thought they were a lot of work, so I never took the opportunity to try for myself. My friend Lori canned pears and when she explained her process it didn't sound too labor intensive, so I bought a half bushel from the Amish and gave it a try.

Anyway this post is more about the canning jars than the canning process. The pears went well in case you were wondering. I got 19 quarts from a half bushel. We had 2 jars not seal and one of the boys saw the pears and wanted them, so we even ate some of the warm unsealed ones. They were so good.

As I was filling the jars I was noticing the designs on some of my jars. I wondered how they came up with the designs on these jars. I wondered what would be the trademark design for 2009. I wondered just how old some of my jars were. And isn't it a neat concept to think how many times these jars have been reused?

Did you know that there was a big push for canning around World War 2? People were encouraged to grow a garden and can the excess and then eat that food in the winter so that food canned commercially could be sent to feed the troops.

So Designs. I have a jar with the liberty bell on it. It commemorates the bicentennial celebration of America (1776-1976). This jar was probably manufactured in 1976, the year I was born. I like to joke that I was a bicentennial baby. They also made special quarters that year. I recently received a special set of salt and pepper shakers with the bicentennial theme on them. Who knows what else had the bicentennial imprint.

I have another jar with a grid on it. It is the only one that I have. that is kind of cool.

Some jars are kind of square, others are perfectly round with no logo on at all. Most of them have "Ball" or Kerr" or "Mason" imprinted on them, the name of the company that manufactures them.

My Mom has a jar that has no neck. It is just straight. She likes to keep that one in her collection. Sometimes the canning jars switch homes as I can some of my food at her house. If I were to give someone a jar of my canned goods if they can themselves they are likely to keep the jar, which is fine. If not, then they usually return it.

My jars are a collection from my mom, Grandma, yard sales and people giving away because they no longer can. It is neat to think that some of my ancestors canned in the same jars that I am using today. A few I bought brand new as I couldn't find any used ones when I needed them.

The jelly jars sometimes have a quilted pattern on them, which makes the jams look real pretty inside.

I tried to google jar designs, but didn't really come up with much, so I only have my own thoughts to write about.

What would be the theme for 2009? A picture of Obama? A picture of a "clunker car"? Did they make one in 2001 of the twin towers?

I did not take pictures of my cool grid jar. It is already on the shelf with my pears in it, but perhaps as I use my food I will take pictures of my cool jars in my collection. For now you will have to be pleased with a picture of my pears.


At this point my jars are full. My family has grown as well our eating needs, so I am keeping my eyes open at yard sales, good will and free cycle for some more jars to add my collection.