Good for you, Thistledew! I can just tell how excited you are. Not a thing wrong with wanting to make healthy food for your family. And I'm about 100% sure your children will remember your wonderful canned goods long after you're gone. I know my sisters and I sure remember our mother's! Enjoy your summer--somehow I don't think I need to tell you that. LOL!

LOL well, congratulations! I'm too afrais to can. I'm afraid I would give every one botulism. but I might try freezing our veggies this year!

Thistledew

Great I bet you grew up on the Laura books too (Little house)

Congrats! The All American is a great canner and you have every right to be excited to get it. I bought the same model this past year and I'm still acting like a proud parent. It's a honking big piece of equipment and a work horse that should last forever. I'm wondering which of our children that I should will it to now. LOL

Btw, your name reminds me of a farm (Thistledew Farm) that we pass in Northwest Florida whenever we head down to our favorite town and beach on the "forgotten coast".

1Kgrace345, I kept going back and forth pondering over getting a Presto canner or the All American...I really could have gotten the Presto many years earlier, but I wanted to save my money and just wait. I have two mirro canners that I have had since I was married in 1970 that my grandmother gave to me that she used and they were literally falling apart. The handles were gone, and they no longer had handles to replace them, so I was having to lift the pot by the hot metal...last year I burned my hand really bad...but I kept on canning. I just bought those new gloves made out of well, what ever that is...my brain just backfired...I hate when that happens...darn it. My husband (behind my back) took them both to the dump...that made me really MAD because they were my grandmothers, and I would have like to have kept them for old times sake, anyways. But, he bought me this new one today..and I just about had a flying flip when he said we were going to town to get one...I got ready faster than lighting! I understand how you would still feel like you were a proud parent of your All American, lkgrace!! LOL If my husband wasn't looking at me on the way home I would have petted mine...LOL!!!

I used to do a lot of canning and have had my canner for 40 years. I gave my Mother one like it and after she no longer needed it I got it back so I h ave two big canners and each holds 7 quarts. Last year I bought a smaller canner and it is good for just cooking lots of bigger amounts of things. I have canned so many different kinds of things. Good luck with your canning, it sounds like you will really enjoy your new canner.

Sue

I am wondering why you are worrying about getting your rings back. When you take the jars out of the canner, once they cool to room temp you can remove the rings.

My grandmother used to can about 3000 qts a year and she never had more than about 36 rings in her kitchen.

You know lazypup, that is a quirk of mine...passed down from my grandmother. She always had enough rings for everyone of her jars. She was always afraid that one of her jars would get bumped and without the rings it would allow bacteria in...I am quirky like that...I will not change...LOL...I have rings for all my jars...yep, some people thing it may be crazy, but I am not going to change. LOL
.

You must have been watching the piggy in the Geico commercial as you were writing the original post. Atleast, that's the amount of excitement I was able to "read". I think its terrific though. If it weren't for working full time and aging parents I'd be right there with you. I am going to get my gardens in, not starting from seed though. I just wish I could can again. Maybe someday. Love the excitement though. Thank you.

I HATE that pig commercial, but I loved your post!! I still make jam, jelly, etc. but don't can fruits and vegetables any more. I have two large freezers and I fill them to the brim with apricots, peaches, apples, squash, beans, okra, eggplant, peppers and whatever I am able to grow in my little garden. I probably don't save a penny doing it but I enjoy it so much. I wish I had more space so that I could plant corn and beans. Enjoy your new canner!!

Sorry if I got a little too enthuastic ladies. I have wanted this canner for so long. Actually I was not born in the country, but a very large city. I stayed the summers with my grandmother and grandfather in the country helping her in her huge garden and canning and going to the farmers market, for her fruits to make jellies and jams and I loved it, and I adored and loved her. She was very old fashioned, she lived by the good book, taught me to sew, knit, embroidery, tatting. Stuff that people make fun of nowdays. It was a great get away from an otherwise unhappy home life with a stepmother and neglectful father. (too much information??) So maybe that carried over throughout my life.

Also no, I did not grow up on Laura Ingall's Little House on the Prairie Books, Minnie Tx. :~)

Thank you all for wishing me well on my new canner..you all are so sweet!

I loved the enthusiasm. I'm not a big fan of the pig either since I sell insurance for one of it's biggest competitors. I do prefer Mayhem and Dennis.
Have a great time and maybe when I'm ready I can ask you questions.

Thistle, like you, I waited several years before I finally made the plunge and got the All American but it was worth the wait. To my thinking, it's on the top of the list for being the safest canner available these days. I hate you "lost" your Grandmother's canners but it sounds as though your DH's heart was in the right place. I know just seeing her canners brought back a lot of good memories for you.

What about the meat grinder? Are you going to make sausage soon? I'd like to see some pics of it when you do.
I also got one this year for my husband since he wants to make sausage and I ordered a juicer attachment for it too.
I've worn out my old juicer so I decided to go a bit more high tech this time. I use the juicer primarily for tomato juice so I'll get to try out that new "tool" this summer.