To the left, a really old jar (circa 1920).
To the right, a really old jar of pickles (the number 94 on the lid is the year it was canned).
To the right, a really old jar of pickles (the number 94 on the lid is the year it was canned).
Shusli and I had a really great afternoon and evening together. It has been so great, in fact, that it is hard for me to remember that I had actually worked this morning.
The only interesting thing about work was some huge fiery thing happening on Columbia Boulevard when I was heading home, prompting me to take a different route than I-5.
When Shusli got home not much longer after I did, she informed me that her canner had a hole in it. She had priced them around town for $60 and $65. Off to Craig's List she went and found a man whom I'll call "Jim the Jar Man."
When we got to Jim's house, he was making tomato puree. He gave us a wonderful smelling lesson on just what to do and the proper equipment. Did I mention the numerous shelves throughout his garage stacked with jars? Jim has had an at home jar business going for three years. During the major canning seasons, there is a long line leading to his house.
A few days ago, Shusli got many pounds of tomatoes from her mother's garden (good year for tomatoes, except for Jim whose yard is too shaded) and she wanted to can them. A holy canner makes canning a little difficult.
Jim had to get the canner out of his car as it was part of this morning's haul. Jim hits mostly estate sales and picks up all the jars, including jars of food and all other canning type supplies, then sells them from home through Craig's List. With all the labor he puts into it he says he averages out to about $3 an hour. We got the cool 1920 jar and the pickles shown above from Jim's morning haul. I do plan on eating those 15-year-old pickles, too. Jim said that with vinegar, food can go on for decades. I'll let you know what they were like.
Shusli told Jim that she reminded him of the guys on car talk, except she called it "Jar Talk." Jim has a vast, and I do mean VAST, knowledge of jars. He showed us all sorts of jars, some just amazing pieces. He showed us jars whose manufacturer had over 300 different styles (they went out of business some 50 years ago) and they are hard to find. Though they manufactured over 2 million jars throughout the life of the business, Jim had never seen any two alike in his three years of doing this.
It was absolutely fun and interesting to talk with Jim about all these canning and jar facts. He is quite the amazing fella.
Shusli mentioned how she wanted to make sauerkraut. Jim said he was Italian and never made kraut, but he knew a lot about it and gave Shusli some sound advice. Shusli asked if he had any crocks, and he showed us his collection for sale 10-15 gallon sizes manufactured between 1905 and 1950. I'm trying to talk Shusli into getting one of the 10 gallon sizes, but it is not cheap. Some were manufactured in Portland, I'm trying to talk her into getting the one made in Ohio, however. It had a nice sound.
We left with our booty, a case of wide mouth jars, canner, old jar, and old jar of pickles approximately an hour after we got there. It was so cool. An experience I'll never forget.
The only interesting thing about work was some huge fiery thing happening on Columbia Boulevard when I was heading home, prompting me to take a different route than I-5.
When Shusli got home not much longer after I did, she informed me that her canner had a hole in it. She had priced them around town for $60 and $65. Off to Craig's List she went and found a man whom I'll call "Jim the Jar Man."
When we got to Jim's house, he was making tomato puree. He gave us a wonderful smelling lesson on just what to do and the proper equipment. Did I mention the numerous shelves throughout his garage stacked with jars? Jim has had an at home jar business going for three years. During the major canning seasons, there is a long line leading to his house.
A few days ago, Shusli got many pounds of tomatoes from her mother's garden (good year for tomatoes, except for Jim whose yard is too shaded) and she wanted to can them. A holy canner makes canning a little difficult.
Jim had to get the canner out of his car as it was part of this morning's haul. Jim hits mostly estate sales and picks up all the jars, including jars of food and all other canning type supplies, then sells them from home through Craig's List. With all the labor he puts into it he says he averages out to about $3 an hour. We got the cool 1920 jar and the pickles shown above from Jim's morning haul. I do plan on eating those 15-year-old pickles, too. Jim said that with vinegar, food can go on for decades. I'll let you know what they were like.
Shusli told Jim that she reminded him of the guys on car talk, except she called it "Jar Talk." Jim has a vast, and I do mean VAST, knowledge of jars. He showed us all sorts of jars, some just amazing pieces. He showed us jars whose manufacturer had over 300 different styles (they went out of business some 50 years ago) and they are hard to find. Though they manufactured over 2 million jars throughout the life of the business, Jim had never seen any two alike in his three years of doing this.
It was absolutely fun and interesting to talk with Jim about all these canning and jar facts. He is quite the amazing fella.
Shusli mentioned how she wanted to make sauerkraut. Jim said he was Italian and never made kraut, but he knew a lot about it and gave Shusli some sound advice. Shusli asked if he had any crocks, and he showed us his collection for sale 10-15 gallon sizes manufactured between 1905 and 1950. I'm trying to talk Shusli into getting one of the 10 gallon sizes, but it is not cheap. Some were manufactured in Portland, I'm trying to talk her into getting the one made in Ohio, however. It had a nice sound.
We left with our booty, a case of wide mouth jars, canner, old jar, and old jar of pickles approximately an hour after we got there. It was so cool. An experience I'll never forget.
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