Thursday, August 20, 2020

Plans - Sigh

So the plan was to take some time off from blogging to do a serious amount of canning.  That was a great plan right up to the time a part on my pressure canner lid broke.  After checking on the cost of sending the lid in for repairs, I found that buying a new pressure canner would cost less.  So Youngest Son went on a quest for a new canner.  And guess what - apparently pressure canners are becoming as scarce as hen's teeth.  He has a couple more places to check and if none can be found in the stores, he says he will order one for me.  As luck would have it, I had not yet thawed the pork in the freezer that I planned to jar up.

Pressure canners aren't the only items that seem to be in short supply.  Every two weeks I add canning lids to my grocery order.  I order six boxes of each size.  I am lucky if I get three boxes total.  And I ordered two cases of pint jars and got none.  Thankfully, one of my dear readers sent me a link to order jars and I may need to do that soon.

Canning supplies are not all that I am finding in short supply.  As some of you know, due to health issues, I rely on a grocery delivery service, so I am not in stores to see the condition of the store shelves as far as shortages go.  But I am noticing that substitutions within my orders are increasing.  The service I use does not substitute items unless the particular item is not on the shelf at all.  Last week apparently at the store where the service shops, there were no bags of frozen chicken breast, no Dawn dishwashing liquid, no DelMonte sliced peaches and no store brand bowl cleaner in addition to no canning lids or pint jars.  Others that I am in touch with tell me the shortages they see in their areas are different, but are shortages nonetheless.  Methinks the time to seriously stock up is coming slowly to a close.

This time away has not been a total loss.  I have been working on an inventory of my food storage.  It is much easier to consult a notebook when doing my grocery order than it is to dig around in my store room to see what I need.  Plus, there is a flaw in my character.  Or in my memory.  At any rate, I have been known to put something away for safe-keeping, only to lose it for all time.  Yep.  I do that.  So now, at the very least, I know what is in the buckets and I know what is stashed under the bed.

I have dehydrated home canned tomatoes for turning into powder.  If canning jars continue to be hard to get, I may do more, just for the empty jars.  

I have been researching Do-It-Yourself projects to replace some of the items I may not be able to get, should the shortages get worse.  I have found instructions for several that I will tell you about as I give them a try.

And I have been getting some sewing done, particularly a baby quilt for my soon to be born Great Grandbaby.  That job is just fun.  And Lord knows, we all could use a little fun in our lives to counter all the insanity around us.  I will post a picture when it is finished - probably next week.

That's all I know today.  I pray all of you are well.  Take good care and continue to pray and prepare.   

28 comments:

  1. I have a friend who cans her garden harvest and has been having trouble finding canning supplies. I too am finding odd things being short in the stores. Tapioca? LOL.

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    1. Oh my, One Family...We know we are in trouble when there is no tapioca! :) Seriously, this shortage of canning supplies is worrisome. I am considering even dehydrating some of my home canned vegetables in order to have enough jars for canning meat. I will see what I can order online, but it isn't looking good.

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  2. Vicki~ I hope this day finds you well. Order the jars now. My Husband asked what got delivered the other day. I said 100 pounds of various Italian Pastas in bulk. Okay. He got out the vacuum sealer and we filled buckets. I have quick cook oats on the way also. Our tomatoes were finished in the garden. There are new tomato plants already flowering and the peppers are going NUTS. We planted more onions, beans and cucumbers.

    These days it is Prayer, Patience and Prepare.

    Red

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    1. Red...Yes, there is no point waiting to order jars. I will check out the website this evening. I need to order small lids as well. I can sometimes get wide mouth lids, but most of my jars are small mouth. I never thought canning equipment would be so hard to lay hands on!

      I am glad you mentioned the vacuum sealer. I also need to order sealer bags. Looks like the budget is going to take a hit this month, but I am glad I thought ahead for just such an emergency.

      Glad to hear that your garden is doing so well. I believe we are going to need every bit of our storage. Take care.

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  3. Hi Vicki,

    I sincerely hope you find a new canner soon. I have heard from multiple sources that they are close to impossible to find.

    My local Grocery Outlet store in stocked almost to pre-COVID levels and has been for about 2 weeks. There are no limits on anything, but I still find it very disturbing that the vast majority of canned foods they have are from China.

    With everything going on in this country, even as I am in the midst of a move (we close in six days, then get to camp for five days while we wait to get into our new place), I felt the need to get a lot more flour. I was planning on 150 lbs, to be purchased at my local Smith's. They had only four bags 25-lb bags and not the brand I wanted, but four is better than none. Took my four bags to the self-check, and the lady managing the self-checks asked if I'd seen the discount cart, which I had to walk right past. I had totally missed it. It held nine 25-lb bags at $3 each. So I got them all.

    I'd really rather be filling canning jars right now, but the movers packed everything up last week, so I have to settle for flour and chocolate chips.

    Good luck on the dehydrating.

    Jennifer


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    1. Jennifer...Since Youngest Son is having such a hard time finding a new pressure canner, I have been pondering over what I can do in case one is not available. I mostly need to can meat. Having fully cooked meat in jars makes cooking meals so much easier for me. But if that can not happen, I can always cook up the meat and package it in vac seal bags and freeze those. In these uncertain times, I'm thinking that the ability to be flexible is a good thing.

      Great score on the flour!! Extra flour and sugar are two items that I order each and every time. What with the crop losses lately, it is wise to really stock up on flour and corn.

      Good luck with your move. Even though it is inconvenient now, I'm sure you will be happier when you are in your new home.

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  4. Welcome back. Looking forward to seeing pictures of the quilt.
    I put in my grocery order this week. I'm still using the delivery service and liking it. This week I noticed that flats of half pint jars were back in stock but prices have jumped. Regular lids were available but not wide lids.

    It's been drizzling off and on all morning. Yea. No need to water but I did pick two cucumbers from the plot outside my front door.

    Love your record keeping strategy. Tried and true pen and paper work for me too.
    Cheers
    SJ in Vancouver BC

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    1. Thanks, SJ...I was having withdrawal symptoms from being out of touch. I'm glad you like my record keeping strategy. I am pretty sure I got the idea from you! It is a work in progress, but even so, it makes ordering groceries so much easier, knowing what I already have stored.

      The quilt is not fancy, being just a checkerboard design rag quilt, but I think it will be cute when finished. And I don't need to worry about Baby's Mama or Grandma liking it. They picked out the fabric. :)

      Your rain will ease on over this way by the weekend. Until then - hot and humid again. So it goes.

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  5. Canning supplies are short here too. Other things tend to be available on a spotty basis.

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    1. Gorges...Sounds like canning supplies are short nearly everywhere. I wonder if the manufacturers aren't putting out as much product now. I can't imagine that so many more people suddenly decided to can their own food.

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  6. I agree with Red. Order jars now!! And sit down before opening the site and seeing what the prices are running. I saw a case of quart jars in the supermarket for $27!!!! There are very few for sale in up-state NY. Hannaford has 1-2 cases of pints, of half pints, of jelly jars, and occasionally a case of quarts. Same at the local hardware stores, and farm supply stores.

    Everyone planted a garden this year, and now, everyone is wanting to preserve their harvest.
    So order NOW before there are none left. Hopefully you will get the jars in less than 2-3 months.

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    1. Suz...I agree. I will be checking out the websites this evening to see what is available in both jars and lids. I really should have known better than to postpone getting more jars and lids. The pint jars from the grocery have been running about $10 per case of 12. Half pints are a little less. Doesn't matter, I suppose, if they have none in stock. Times are changing and not for the better.

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  7. Several reasons for the jar shortage. First is that they are made in... yes, China.
    Second, it is the height of the summer canning season.
    Third, many more people are trying their hand at canning. We managed a couple cases of pint and half pint jars for a friend a couple weeks ago. I haven't checked recently.

    "I have been known to put something away for safe-keeping, only to lose it for all time." Hah! That is me. Even if I "know" where I put it and told several people where I put it, for safe keeping, it isn't there when I go to look for it.

    Congratulations on the new great grandbaby! God bless you all. ♥

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  8. LindaG...What you say about the shortage of jars makes sense. Add to that the fact that many manufacturers are not running at full capacity due to restrictions with the virus. This is the first time I have not been able to get supplies in the middle of canning season.

    Some years ago I bought birthday cards for each of my 6 grands, thinking I would have them on hand when I needed them. Put them away for safe-keeping. Haven't seen them since. I don't know how I can lose things in a small apartment, but I do. Fairly often. :)

    Great Grandbaby is due within a month. We are all excited!! Take good care.

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  9. Glad to have you back Ms. Vicki !

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    1. Thank you, kind sir...I miss everyone too much to stay away for very long.

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  10. You know what they say about the best laid plans... Glad to hear that you're doing okay otherwise!

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    1. sbrgirl...I really should know by now that plans don't always go according to plan. :) Aside from a couple of minor glitches, all is well here and I hope the same is true of you.

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  11. Vicki, you are being tested for your patience and flexability...something we may All be facing more frequently than we would like. Take care and be aware, CW

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    1. Our world is changing at a breathtaking speed, CW...If we can not be flexible when necessary, we don't stand much of a chance. I gotta say, however, that my patience with the BS has nearly run out. I make no promises in that regard! Take care.

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  12. Welcome back, Ms Vicki! Glad things are still, overall, good for y’all up north.

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    1. Thanks, LTM...We are such weather wimps here in the north country that the 80+ degree days are wilting us, but otherwise, life is still as good as can be expected. Hope all is well in your neck of the woods!

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    2. All is well down here, atm. Although I must say 80 degrees sounds positively balmy! But then I would probably freeze solid up north in winter.....

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    3. LTM...Yeah, winters here can get a bit ugly - snow, ice, subzero temps. I would be happy with autumn year around. Not my favorite climate, but here is where family is, so here I stay. :)

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  13. Dehydrated tomato chips and zucchini chips are tasty to snack on. Eaten as a meal they are very filling. can be dehydrated and then vacuum sealed.

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    1. Anon...Thanks for the dehydrating tip. Every bit of knowledge is useful. I once dehydrated slices of salted cucumber and they made a tasty snack.

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