• Best place to buy canning supplies locally: Meijer, Downtown Home and Garden, garage and estate sales!
• Best place to buy pickling crocks locally: Barnes Hardware, Downtown Home and Garden
• Best price on canning lids: Buschs
• Best website to learn about canning: National Center for Home Food Preservation at University of Georgia
• Best place to get a pressure canner checked yearly: Washtenaw County MSU extension. It's free!
• Best canning book: Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving by Judi Kingry and Lauren Devine
• Best way to test a jar seal: Store without the band and tap the lid with a spoon
• Best way to keep canning cost down: grow your own fruits and vegetables or visit U-Pick farms directory:
• Best local contests for canning: Downtown Home and Garden Jam and Pickle contests, Chelsea Fair
• Best item to try for first time canners: pickled green beans
• Best kitchen gadget for a home canner: food processor
• Best way to keep jar bands in good shape: don't store jars with bands on them and use plastic caps on opened jars
• Best way to chat with other local home canners: A2 Home Canning yahoo group
• Best foraged item to can at home: crab apple butter
• Best stove for home canning: Gas, but you can do it on an electric or a glass cooktop too. It's easier, faster and more energy efficient to can on a gas stove.
Maybe worth noting - Kmart has all Ball canning/preserving products buy one, get one half off through today. I'm tempted to stock up!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Also you should mention Freecycle for canning equipment - I just gave away a fair selection and had enthusiastic takers.
ReplyDeleteButtercup I hope you aren't getting out of the canning business, and Miss E, sounds like a great deal at the K
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this post. I have just started all of my canning for this year (hoping to can more than I ever have) and it is nice to have this list as a resource!
ReplyDeleteYou forgot one: best local canning instructor: MK! Oh wait, that would be beating your own drum or blowing your own horn or something...
ReplyDeleteI hope your fall Rec & Ed classes are a lot of fun!