There is no season I look forward to more than canning season. Except maybe gardening season, but the two go hand in hand, don’t they? It makes me as anxious as my kids are for their after-nap-treat. And as the canning shelves start getting lighter and my boxes of empty jars begin to stack up in the porch,

that itch to start canning simply begs to be scratched.

The good news is that canning season will come soon enough. In the meantime, you can get yourself prepared for it while things are a bit quieter by following these 5 simple steps.

1. Make a habit of stocking up on lids on every shopping trip.

A little at a time will help not only ease the pressure on your pocketbook but will make sure that you never find yourself in the middle of a canning session and suddenly short on lids. Keeping good records from the canning season before can help you determine how many lids you will need to buy, and adjust based on your needs. There’s not so much a need to hoard rings, however- assuming you already have a stash. You shouldn’t store your canned goods with the rings on them, so a modest supply of rings should be more than enough to go around from batch to batch- just be sure to discard any that are rusty.

2. Search for cheap or free jars, especially in the “off season”.

There’s a local thrift shop in town who knows the moment I walk in the door that I’m going to- at least once- ask if they have any canning jars. One of those times, they happened to remember a box in the back that they hadn’t yet put out. I discovered later after bringing it home that it not only had a handful of antique jars but also a half gallon vintage jar! So keep your eyes peeled- check out Craigslist, your local Facebook sell & swap pages, ask and advertise. I recently acquired almost 100 jars in one week from people who (1) didn’t want them, (2) were willing to part with them for little or no money, and/or (3) were willing to trade jars for a few of my canned goods. If you don’t ask, you won’t receive. But if you do take the time, especially in the off season when people aren’t actively canning, you will find yourself paying pennies for jars compared to the ridiculously high cost for a box of new ones at the store.

3. Examine and replace your equipment now.

Don’t wait for canning season to arrive before checking out your canning equipment. After sitting for some time, rust and dust can wreak havoc on your supplies. Take a look at the bottom of your water bath canner. Have any spots rusted through? If you’re hard on those graphite canners like I am, you probably have one or two (okay, or three…maybe four) retired canners outside being used as flower pots or baskets for hauling in potatoes from the garden. Replace it now before it comes time to make that first batch of jam.

Likewise, with your pressure canners, take a peek through the vent tube to make sure it isn’t blocked by dust or other debris that may have settled during its rest period. Examine the seal for any cracks and replace as needed. Have your local County Extension Office check your pressure gauges for accuracy.

4. Use larger jars when possible.

I used to always can my jam in jelly jars. They are jelly jars, after all. But smaller jars just mean more lids and when you have 3 kids who love peanut butter & jelly sandwiches as much as mine do, you go through that jam like nobody’s business. So why not use pint jars instead? You use half the amount of jars and lids. Same goes for other canned goods like green beans & other vegetables, pasta sauces, and meats– more than likely, a quart jar is better suited to what you would use anyway. I know- it’s fun to see how many jars you can get lined up on the shelves. But let’s be economical here. Go up a size if you can.

5. Consider freezing, dehydrating, or other food preservation methods.

Certain things taste better and are more appropriate canned while others are better off frozen. Seeking alternative methods to food preservation will also help ease the canning expenses. For example, when we process chicken or rabbit, there are some meals for which I prefer canned meat {such as casseroles} and other meals where the frozen meat is needed {ex./grilling}. I also know that I much prefer frozen peas over canned, whereas I cannot tolerate frozen green beans so they are always canned. So make out a list ahead of time to help plan out these alternate options.

I certainly hope that these easy tips will help you prepare for the canning season ahead.

Happy canning to you!

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Homestead Blog Hop #27