I'm sorry it was so hard to find them Mike.
I think I got my Ball funnel at Walmart and the lifter there or at the Ace Hardware store..

Well atleast you'll be getting a welcomed parcel or two in the mail.

If there were central Pennsylvania I'd be able to find one on every street corner.

Just not much call for the funnels here, I guess.

At least lids and rings are plentiful.

Before we know it, you'll be canning your head off!!

Good luck and just ask if something doesn't make sense.

Nancy

I've canned my head off before.

In Mom's basement are between 300-500 Mason jars, many of which have been passed down through the family since the late 1800s.

Mom has been canning more, and I'm getting back into it because... well.... because I can.

I've really gotten interested in preserving food again. I've made several goes of my own bacon, I did sauerkraut last year (and will do it again this year), and now I'm going to do jelly.

kframe, have fun! I'm going to try making some pancetta myself this year, Larry gave me that Charcuterie cookbook and the pigs are going to become just pork tomorrow!

Annie

Kframe, Did you check out local hardware stores? That is where I buy most of my canning supples. Are you going to make any fermented pickles? I thought I would try some next year.

Michelle

In the DC metro area the small, independent hardware stores are almost non-existent. They've virtually all been squeezed out by the box stores.

As for the pickles, probably not. I just never got around to picking up the cukes. Next year.

Not much demand for canning supplies in northern VA, I'm afraid. Jars, lids and rings aren't too hard to find, but Walmart gets a limited supply of canners, racks,funnels and jar lifters in at the beginning of summer and those are gone by July.

The rack, jar lifter and funnel I bought this year (because mine are buried somewhere deep in my attic) came from hardware stores in Lancaster, PA, and Berlin, OH.

Only 2 independent hardware stores I know of, kframe, are Nichol's in Purcellville and George White in Middleburg.

I didn't get around to getting apples this weekend but will take your suggestion of Stribling Orchard. Thanks!

Just thought you liked to know....
Here in WV Martinsburg Area, Berkeley & Jefferson Co. We have still about a half dozen "hardware" stores that carry a "canning section".

Not sure which part of Northern VA you are located but we are about 1.5-2 hours from DC (traffic pending). It might be worth a Saturday day trip to check them out?
Feel free to contact me for listings...
Stacey

You know Dick laughs at me when we travel...and I go "Ohhhh...a WalMart!!" Well, I can find the odd canning jar that I can't find here. I don't know about NoVA but I can also find things at the Annapolis Farm store. I bet there might be some of those lurking in VA still. And what about Wegmans? esp the one out Reston way.

btw, on this note, I got some 12oz canning jars in Shoppers for $6.99 about 3 weeks ago. I happened to be in Safeway for my final 99c peaches and checked their jars. A fr*ckin" $13.99 a box!!!!!!!

And...do I have to go to Canada to get those small 125ml (2oz?) Bernardin jars?

Maureen

Maureen, I realize wrong coast..but maybe you can find something like this on the East side?
I buy my candle jars from here. I use the 9oz salsa jar. There is a rubber "seal" on the inside of the lid, so I'm guessing you can BWB these???

Here is a link that might be useful: 1.5 oz jam jar

Michael, I can so relate. I have to drive into cheesehead land, aka Wisconsin, to get canning supplies.

Michelle, you are a bit further from me with still a bit of farmland around you. Give it 5 years and they wont having a canning item left.

Have fun!

Terri...I LOVE that honey jar, the bee one. {{gwi:1564914}}

As I said, I can find the rings, lids, and jars fairly readily. Most stores around here actually carry them.

I just couldn't find the funnel or the lifter.

kframe, I think I actually found a funnel at one of the dollar stores. I bought two in Michigan when I saw them...they only had two! I'm set for life I think.(or to leave one to each of my children when I ...pass!)

tee hee, isn't it cute!

Le Parfait jars are still available. Kinda expensive compared to the American version, but worth mentioning just in case.

https://www.leparfait.com

Weck jars are cheaper and super cute.

https://weckjars.com

Wow....what a blast from the past!! How many pages back did you have to go to find this thread......haven't seen many of those people in many years!!