Canning Supplies

[Rammy]

I was at Walmart today and they had the Ball regular mouth jars with lids in pints, and the quart size in regular mouth and wide mouth on the shelves. I got some regular mouth quart and 4( which were all of them) cases of the regular mouth pints. Still no just the lids yet, but hopefully soon.
Trying to stock up for the idiocracy that more than likely will happen next week. Also have read stories about an uptick again in panic buying because of the virus numbers going up.
Several Youtube channels I watch concerning prepping all are stating that there will be a food shortage at some point, but it will happen. Im buying canned goods as well as canning what I can to keep stocked.
Im also considering buying a greenhouse because of the Grand Solar Minimum that suppose to last until 2057. If anyone knows a good place to get one and that will also set it up for you, let me know. Better safe than sorry and kicking yourself for not getting it while you could.

 

[Britesea]

I've discovered that an unheated greenhouse isn't really much different from just covering your rows in the garden, it just lets you get at the plants more easily. A rule of thumb is that every layer of protection over your plants counts as one planting zone- so if you have an unheated greenhouse in zone 5, it's like zone 6 inside. If you use a greenhouse plus a low tunnel inside the greenhouse, it's closer to zone 7 under the hoops.

Another tip for unheated greenhouses: If you get one that has a rounded roof, like a high hoop tunnel, snow can pile up on top and possibly cause damage. Placing a string of Xmas lights (the little ones, not the big old fashioned type)- especially red lights, will create just enough heat to melt the inner layer of snow and allow it to slide off the roof.

 

[FarmerJamie]

The wife and kiddies evidently ordered me my Christmas present from Lehman's. A 30 quart pressure canner that can hold 15 quarts.

They must want me to work next summer....lol

 

[Britesea]

I'm willing to live in a tiny house as long as I have a cellar the size of Grand Canyon LOLOL

 

[baymule]

I scored 6 boxes of regular lids today and bought a dozen wide mouth quart jars. Whoop!

 

[wyoDreamer]

Tighten the rings finger tight - for my husband I tell him that would mean USE ONLY YOUR FINGERTIPS to tighten it down, do not let your palm touch the jar at all. He tends to crank down on stuff like there is no tomorrow. He actually has made a permanent dent in the seal of his ARTIC insulated cup from tightening it down so hard. He cranks down so hard that I cannot get the lid of - so I don't wash it, lol.

 

[FarmerJamie]

Anybody need anything? no lids, picked up two dozen quart jars and rolls of foodsaver bags

 

[Britesea]

Victorians heated parts of greenhouses enough to grow pineapples by composting manure in them.

I read about doing that- it was called a a hot box as opposed to a cold frame. DH wants to experiment with that in the greenhouse, but I don't think we have enough manure to do it. Might try it one of these years though...

Something I'm working on (a few concrete blocks at a time) is building a row of walled bins along the north border of the garden- opening on the outside, to hold compost, chips, excess cardboard etc for use in making compost or other garden delights. The backs of the bins face south into the garden, hopefully working as a windbreak against those chilly winter winds and a heat sink to help keep the garden just a few precious degrees warmer.

I think all the things I've been doing like this are helping- it seems like every year I get a little more out of the garden before the weather finally kills everything. Last year some of the beets made it through the winter and started setting seed in the spring. I would have harvested them through the cold weather, but the ground froze hard and I couldn't dig them up. So this year I want to pile a bunch of chips and pine straw around them and the carrots and daikons to see if I can keep eating out of the garden longer.

 

[Mini Horses]

I use the small mouths for easy pour items...sauces, relishes, cut or small veggies like corn. Save the wide mouth for chunky stuff...meats, chunky fruits and such. All works out. I have to use what I have and there was a time when no wide mouths existed.

At coffee this morn a show was on about gardening in Nova Scotia. A raised, mulched bed with a row cover gave them access to root crops in winter. Layering and cole type crops.

As to the temps world wide. In 2050 I'll be 105 or so. That's the year I check out so not a concern suspect I won't be gardening heavy then.

 

[baymule]

I don't think a tiny house would work. My husband's farts need room to dissipate. I'd have to run outside!