Friday, October 15, 2010

Ode to Canning Jars



I canned up a batch of white grape juice for the year.Good stuff! While setting them out to cool,I checkED out the names on the jars of the companies that manufactured them. Most of us canners are familiar with the old time standards like BALL, ATLAS,MAGIC BUTTON,GOLDEN HARVEST,MASON but what about the lesser known providers that may have bitten the dust of "Going OUTTA Business" ? Check out your jars and post on here what names you have. I used to have some pink glass jars.I guess they broke.I have quite a few blue jars and my all time favorites are the glass top lids with wire snaps because they are old as the hills and still going strong.(Just like my Gramma McCue's treadle sewing machine! Perfect stitches,every time).)
I love canning! It is probably the longest and most consistent hobby that has ever been part of my cellular structure.
Tomorrow there will be many tables at yard sales,pumpkin festivals,etc and I will pass by a jar or 2.Will I run my fingers gently around the rims and sigh and~~~~walk away? Will I let another lady strolling in the crowd behind be ponder if she needs it and barter for it? OR~~ will I spin around, race back and knock people out of the way,grab the jar out of her hands and hissss ~ "It's MINE!!" .(?????) I will give a full report tomorrow.

ODE TO A CANNING JAR

THERE ONCE WAS A JAR THAT WAS LOOKING AT ME
IT HAD NOT BEEN USED SINCE '73
THE JAR BORE A NAME THAT WAS NOT FAMILIAR
NOT BALL,NOT ATLAS,SO I WANTED TO FILL HER
SHE WAS DUSTY AND GRAY WITH THE YEARS IN THE CELLAR
I WAS CURIOUS WHAT COMPANY EXISTED TO SELL HER
DID IT LIVE THRU DEPRESSION OR DID IT GO UNDER?
YET THIS JAR SURVIVED TURMOIL WHEN ALL TORE ASUNDER
AND MANY A FARM WIFE KEPT HER FAMILY ALIVE
WHEN OTHERS IN CITIES STRUGGLED TO SURVIVE
BUT YOU DON'T NEED AN ACRE, YOU DON'T NEED A FARM
A TOWNIE CAN DO IT ! YOU DON'T NEED A BARN!
I STARTED TO CAN WHEN I LIVED IN BAYONNE
I LIVED IN THE CITY,I HAD A SMALL HOME.
TOMATOES AND PICKLES AND APPLESAUCE TOO!
PEACHES AND PEARS,TO NAME JUST A FEW.
I STARTED OUT LITTLE,I STARTED OUT SMALL,
AND NOW I'M A FACTORY BY LATE SUMMER AND FALL!
MY MOM DID NOT KNOW THE INFLUENCE SHE BRED
WHEN SHE WENT TO THE CELLAR FOR PEARS BEFORE BED
MY GRANDMA MADE JELLY FROM VINES IN HER YARD
UNCLE FRITZ MADE THE PICKLES AND IT WAS NOT HARD
WE SMILED WHEN SENT TO THE CELLAR FOR FOOD
WE MADE IT! WE DID IT! "AND GOD SAID,IT WAS GOOD"! (:>

1 comment: