NEW BALL MASON JAR AMERICANA 250

 As usual, I was at lunch, roaming around the store (Walmart) and I stumbled across these jars:

These are the newest limited edition Mason jars from Ball.  You can CLICK HERE to read about them.

Of course, I had to have them for my canning jar collection so I bought one set of each size they have available.

Since my pictures are still in the packages, I found this on the ball website to show you a little clearer.

They were created for the our Nation's 250th birthday celebration this year.  They are really neat with embossed stars all over them and a really cool red/white/blue lid.  Of course, now I'm wondering, since the lids aren't reusable, will they have a special package of them for sale separately?  Or maybe just ALSO sell special lids for this year only.

Ball, if you're listening...

Anyway, a fun addition and only available for a limited time so if you are interested, check them out.

They are at Walmart, Target, grocery stores, etc or of course sell them online HERE AT AMAZON.

ANNIVERSARY BALL JARS

Saw these in the store...

They only come in the 16oz size according to the Ball website HERE, but they are cool.

And pretty!  They are designed to mimic the historic patterns that have been used throughout the history of the company.

From the Ball website:

Celebrate the 140-year history of Ball home canning, as a beloved staple in kitchens across the country, with these collector's edition Anniversary Mason Jars.  Created in celebration of popular patterns and designs that have graced the homes of jar lovers and devoted canners for generations, the Anniversary Jar is a beautiful way to commemorate this legacy of preservation and creativity.  Express yourself beautifully with the canning jars that Ball has been known for since 1884.

Of course, I HAD to buy a package, just because!

ADDED SOME MORE HONEYBEE JARS

Almost two months ago, we posted HERE about these great limited edition jars from Ball.

At the time, I only picked up a 4 pack.  I said then that I might have to get another one.  Or two.  They had been out, but the other day they had restocked.  I decided to get two more.  That gives us a dozen which seems like a nice, even number, almost like having "a case" or something, ha.

Photo courtesy of www.ballmasonjars.com

Saw this on the website showing the jars...it's something called a Pimm's Cup (cocktail).  We'll have to look that up because it looks amazing.  Anyway, looking forward to having these jars in our collection.  They will be useful and cute, ha.

Friday is here, long weekend ahead.

HONEYBEE MASON JARS

Was at Kroger the other day at lunch and just happened to see this on the shelf:

HONEYBEE JARS!!

What the heck?  Somehow they landed in my cart...

...and came home with me!  Ha!

Here is a closeup picture.  They have the regular Ball logo on one side but then on the other side, they have a honeybee embossed with some small honeycomb images.  They are so cool.  They only come in the 4 pack of pint size regular mouth jars. 

 Here are some images from the Ball website.  What a great idea for honey based drinks or canning something with honey.  2nd Man said that when we get to the farm and I have bees again, these would be great jars for putting up our honey.  Hmm, knowing Ball, these are probably limited edition and might only be available for a period of time.

That means I might have to pick up another box or two, you know, just to be on the safe side.

BALL JAR ACCESSORIES BARGAIN

You all know I love to find a bargain.  The other day at lunch, I was at the grocery store getting our weekly groceries and I found this:  

A Ball jar canning utensil set.  I have some of these items already, but it's been our experience with most any kitchen equipment, it never hurts to have extras because you just never know when an extra tool or something might be needed.

This was in the clearance section at my local HEB grocery store.  The package had been torn so we figure that's why it was on clearance.  But how much was it?  Would it be worth it to have some extra tools?

99 cents!  Now THAT'S a bargain.

It looks like it has been floating around since mid-July (or at least that's when they printed the new label).

A jar lifter, a jar funnel and a bubble remover/headspace tool.

I'm trying to get the canning cabinet at the farm all stocked with everything I need.  It's where we keep the jars, rings, lids, tools, pots and pans.  This will also give us some extras to have here in town so they don't all end up at the farm.

Who knows, perhaps an extra set will come in handy if I need 2nd Man to assist me in the process.  We do have a bunch of pears (hopefully) coming soon, so I foresee a possible canning event in the near future.

FLUTE BALL MASON JARS UPDATE

 OK…after the blog post about these jars Wednesday, you all gave some great suggestions.  That night, I Googled them and I found these pictures online for different ideas for uses...

Special editions of jams or salsa...

After dinner dessert or early morning breakfast…

Drinks with a farmhouse flair...

Or even gathering wildflowers and having a fun vase.

Needless to say, I couldn't get to the store fast enough.

I bought two boxes!

Well, that’s all they had left, ha.  I might buy one more set if I run across them so we'll have a dozen but at least eight gives us a good number for desserts or drinking glasses if we wanted to use them for that.

They DO sell them on Amazon HERE 

We decided we never know when we might be doing something and think back to these different jars.  I guess the rule should be, “get whatever they come out with so no regrets in the future”, LOL.

WHAT CANNING JAR SHORTAGE

Was in Kroger grocery store the other day on the way back from the farm and saw this...

...a huge display of Ball Mason canning jars.  I don't think I've ever seen quite so many in one place ever (short of some place dedicated to canning supplies).

I had to take two pictures to get it all in.  Normally, a Kroger grocery store has one small section, in the baking aisle, of canning supplies.  Sometimes there are a few varieties of jars but I've never seen this many all at once.  We were wondering if the pandemic sales were so high over the last year that stores are stocking up?

I think we have enough jars right now, but we'll keep our eyes out.  Once I can go back to thrift store shopping I will see if a lot of jars "appear" as people change their minds from quarantine canning, ha. 

Canning definitely gained in popularity during quarantine.  Regular readers know I've dabbled in it (and enjoyed it).  I keep all of our supplies in a canning jar cabinet at the farm and some things in the apartment.  When we get something done with the house, I have been saving ideas for not only storage of canned goods but places to keep all the supplies including empty jars.

HONEYSUCKLE IN BLOOM

When we pull up to the farm this time of year and get out of the car, we can smell the familiar scent on the breeze.  Indeed while I'm mowing I get to inhale that intoxicatingly wonderful scent of childhood...

Honeysuckle patch

Honeysuckle is in bloom everywhere!  This patch is behind the house...

Honeysuckle growing wild

When I was mowing last weekend, I found it everywhere else too.  Here along one side by the fence.

Honeysuckle in bloom

And here is more on the other side of the property.  Who among us hasn't plucked some flowers and pulled out that oh so sweet nectar?  We're grateful to have these just growing wild everywhere on the property.  

Because of this, we've been researching recipes to use with honeysuckle and found some jelly recipes that are supposed to be "Summer in a jar delicious".

I think I'm going to try that here in the next couple of weeks before the flowers go away.  It takes a lot for a batch but I'm willing to do it to try something new and maybe recreate that taste of childhood Summers.

Image via pinterest.com

Anyone ever tasted and/or made a batch of honeysuckle jelly?

ANOTHER GOOD CANNING DEAL

Recently I posted about finding the leak-proof reusable lids for canning jars.  The ones I found were for the wide mouth and I scored two packages of six for $2.00 per box.  The other day I went to another store of the same chain and they had the regular mouth reusable lids for $1.50 per box with the same clearance sticker on it.  Turns out it was shipped over from the closing store and they just left the sticker on there!  So I bought both of them so now we have a dozen of each.

Just as their canning lids, it's great that these fit on all regular mouth size jars, including the small little 1/4 pint jars I posted about as well.

They do sell these on Amazon HERE. Obviously more than we lucked into paying (so check your local stores).  Really looking forward to having them to use.  Thanks for all the suggestions, keep em coming now that we can use ANY Ball jar size or shape.

FOUND A GREAT DEAL

 Recently, there was a grocery store location going out of business near my office.  Well, they were closing this location but there are others in the chain.

The sales came in waves.  Always excluded were fresh produce, meat and things like milk, eggs, cheeses. I guess those items are best moved to other store locations.  The first part was all medicines, vitamins, and items like toothpaste, soap, shampoos, deodorant etc, were 50% off.  We stocked up.  We're good for a year or so on that stuff.

Then they made some food items 25% off.  Canned and boxed foods.  I bought a few things.  Then it went to 50% off and I bought more.  We got some good deals in the pantry and stocked up on the expensive things like oils and pasta sauces and canned tomato products.

The items I was most waiting for were the Ball canning products.  Unfortunately others were waiting too.  At 75% off whatever price was already marked, this was all they had left:

I snagged two boxes of these leak-proof lids.  They only had the wide mouth size but that's ok, they were $2.00 per box.  I put one on a tall wide mouth and they are really nice.  They will make for nice ways to store homemade dressings, sauces etc in the fridge.  These of course are not canning lids just storage lids.

I was hoping to get a bunch of jars but alas, they only had these left.  They are the small quilted crystal jars, a dozen of the quarter pint size.  I think the whole box ended up being about $3.00.  25 cents a jar.  Not a bad deal and this was a size I didn't already have so I'm sure I'll find something to can with them someday.

Maybe small amounts of canned jelly or jam to use as gifts?  Any thoughts?

RETAIL CANNING SUPPLIES RUNNING LOW

Was at the grocery store near the farm (like going there because they are never really busy and they are good at enforcing the mask rule).  Anyway, it's a great way to top off things like milk, eggs, canned goods, cheese, etc. 

 While I was there I noticed this; the section with canning supplies.  It was pretty much gone.  We were thinking that it's a sign of what is going on in the world in general, especially being in the country.  People with gardens are filling their pantries.  

But then again, it turns out it's not just limited to the  rural areas around Houston...

...this is at a store here in Houston, near downtown of all places.  Almost all the jars are gone.  Pint and quart, widemouth and regular, all gone.  There was even a bottom shelf of bigger packages of jars that was empty too (I thought I got it in the photo).

SO I guess it helps to be prepared.  I didn't think about canning supplies when I was stocking up.  Of course we DO have quite a few jars at the farm but probably need some more rings and lids.  Still, a well stocked pantry should include canning supplies. 

I might just add a few more things to our supplies for canning.  We might not have our garden growing right now but stopping at the farmers market or even the grocery store for some fresh produce can give us what we need to can some more food to supplement what we already have in the pantry and fridge.

Anyone else notice a canning supply shortage in stores lately?

BALL HAS A NEW COLOR

Was in the store at lunch the other day and saw these...

Ball Jars brand has a new color.  It's called Collector's Edition and is Aqua Blue.  At first I thought "what's the difference with this vs the blue they came out with a few years ago?" 

 Then I went back and looked at the blue from then and compared it to this aqua.  

\

Definitely a difference.  I think when they are all in the box they seem bluer but these are definitely an aqua green just like old school originals from about 100 years ago.  Another difference, these have a galvanized style finish lid and seal like the originals and most differently, they have the original flat bottom style like the old jars.

Hmm...since we have sets of the previous colors, purple, blue, green, etc, well I guess I'm just going to have to get a set or two of these to add to the collection for future use.

BALL SMOOTH SIDED JARS

Was at the store at lunch and saw these in the canning section.  I have never seen them before but of course the box says "new" so there is that...ha!

Anyway, they are "smooth sided jars" from BALL canning.  I had never thought about that being a thing but seeing as how it was new I needed to know more.  So I checked them out online to get more info ball smooth sided jars  and here is what they look like out of the package:

I wasn't sure if I wanted to add them to the collection of jars for future canning use...until I saw this picture.  I can imagine they would be stunning filled with brightly colored veggies or pickles.  Of course, as with all Ball/Mason jars, they would be nice filled with just about anything.  It seems they come in various sizes though the store only had the quart. 

Might have to make a return trip to pick up a case...you know, for future use.   

CANNING CABINET WORK IN PROGRESS

Here is a new(ish) piece of furniture at the farm. I say newish because we already had it and were using it for something else that just wasn't working. 

So we decided to repurpose it. Well, by "we", I mean it was my idea to use it for something dedicated. 

We moved it into the dining room on a different wall than where it was.  We were using it for just a collection of extra stuff.  It's amazing how when you have space but don't really have a specific use for it, it just begins to hold random "stuff" without purpose. 

So we cleaned it all out...

     

Here it is after we emptied it out.  

It's a neat cabinet, a nice size and solid wood. When the doors are closed, it looks like a cabinet with separate upper and lower doors but they open the full length, which is kind of nice.  The only downside is the shelves are not adjustable, they are permanently attached.  So I guess I'll have to work with what I've got.  

So what are we going to use it for now?  Since we're going to be doing something different at the house in the next year or so, part of our plan is to make sure we have furniture that serves a specific purpose, in this house, in a different room or in a different house.  

The goal is to turn this into a "canning cabinet"!  I want to fill it with my empty jars, canning tools and accessories, rings and lids of course, even canning related cookbooks, etc. (I might even have a few canning themed dish towels, ha).  Right now, I'm making an inventory of what we have and getting it all together in one place.  This will make it easier to pack up if we have to move it into a new place later one.  Until then, we still need to make it look nice.

These are the jars that I used for the rings and lids a while back.  In hindsight, I kind of wished I had gotten colored jars instead of white (since it's a white cabinet) but hey, it is what it is.  I suppose I could paint the inside of the upper cabinet at some point.  That would work, right?  Or maybe even line it with wall paper or something?  I put them on the top shelf so they can be seen behind the glass.

There are two more empty "visible" shelves (behind the upper glass section of the doors) so I can use them for cookbooks (only have a few canning ones) and then maybe hang some tools or store them in a utensil holder of some sort. I can also keep pectin and other supplies like that in the upper portion.

These are the two shelves concealed behind the solid part of the doors.  There are most of the jars we have and my canning pot.  Inside the pot are some tools, etc.  It seemed like everything was scattered around the house in various locations, jars on the shelves in the mudroom, the canning pot in the kitchen, rings and lids in the storage jars on another shelf, etc and so now I'm just trying to get it all on the same place and then I can organize later.

I need to get some of those wire pantry shelves so that I can stack the jars.  If there are too many, I'll put as many as possible here.

It will be a great Summer project when at the farm and stuck inside due to the monsoon rain.

By the way, we got this at NADEAU, one of our favorite furniture stores. That's the National website link, for those in the Houston area, here is the HOUSTON NADEAU website. We don't get anything for mentioning them, but we like to call out our favorites in case someone might be interested.