November 30th is National Mason Jar Day. It celebrates the patent date of the invention of the mason jar in 1858, by John Landis Mason. I have an interesting book for collectors of Mason jars. It is “1000 Fruit Jars” by Bill Schroeder, 1986. It talks about the various lid attachments of fruit jars, along with 1000 various marking for different manufactured jars. It also gives estimated prices for different jars.
I am deeply involved with using Mason jars. This is a selection of my handywork this year with canning and dehydrating: tomato sauce-basil, tomato sauce-basil and hot pepper, salsa, pickles both dill and sweet, herbs, dried green and red peppers, onion powder, celery salt, even dried tomato sauce powder.
November 30th is National Methamphetamine Awareness Day. President Bush launched the day to help make aware the dangers of Methamphetamine addiction. I have an unusual, award-willing childrens book that also addresses drug addiction. It is “The House That Crack Built” by Clark Taylor, 1992.
It follows the theme of “This is the house that Jack built”. Each line of the poem has it’s own illustration. It is a sad yet powerful book on drug addiction, that doesn’t preach. It also has been critically aclaimed.
There is a connection to drugs and jarring vegetables. Canning is addicting. While it is much cheaper to just buy tomato sauce, salsa, pickles, or spices like onion and garlic powders, and celery salt, there is a rush when I make them myself. Especially when I grow those items in my own garden and then process.
I have already planted the garlic for next year (fall planting), and have planned the layout for where all vegetables will go (a major layout change for 2025). My wife will even start her own seeds this year instead of buying bedding plants. Come January and February, we will be starting and germinating seeds.
Why do they call it canning, when it should be called jarring?
“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” -Marcus Tullius Cicero
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