Canning season is upon us, which means Mom's perennial sorting-of-the-jars event is at hand.

It has been a game within my family for as long as I can remember. It can be played as a singles, doubles, or group event. We don't really keep score. But I suppose sometimes it can be competitive.

Preliminaries run year-round and include: cleaning out the refrigerator or pantry; first-wash (pre-storage); lidding (Duke's mayonnaise lids are perfect) to keep critters out while in storage; and "most creative way to store."

When I was growing up my parents and grandparents never threw away a glass jar. "Canning" jar or not, glass jars were saved and used for canning. Or something, even just the belief and hope that someone someday would need it.

My siblings won't believe this, but over the years I've thrown away or placed hundreds of glass jars into recycling bins as I cleared out various family residences. My brother Keith paid to have a multitude removed from my parents' basement several years ago.

I have, however, thrown away few actual canning jars. I've given many to friends conducting jar drives for their church or civic organization for apple butter fundraisers.

My siblings, neither of whom has any use for a canning jar once they've eaten the contents, will believe that I've actually bought good canning jars when I've found boxes for nearly nothing at estate sales, auctions and thrift stores.

I've also invested in some of the recent reproductions Ball has issued in blue and purple. I can in those. It's my way of marking my territory in the pantry. It's easy code for Mom when she begins sharing our bounty: do not give away Johnny's colored jars.

"Collectability" does not play into my jar-sorting. I do have a few unusual or distinctive canning jars from each set of grandparents.

Over the last few days as I helped Mom round up a batch of quart jars to give to a cousin (in exchange for his bringing her quarts filled with homegrown, fresh-canned green beans), I held only one back because it was to me unusual and I've favored it in the past for storing and transporting my Sweet, Sour & Crunchy Salad (marinated pea/corn/bell pepper/celery/green onion salad). The jar is square, making a good fit in the corner of an ice chest on the way to a picnic.

As far as quarts overall, Mom and I don't need many. The main thing we use them for is for home-canned tomatoes, which don't require pressure canning.

I am not allowed to use the pressure cooker, let alone the much larger pressure canner.

But it's hard to get Mom to let go of a good pint jar. I prefer half-pints for most of the things I'm apt to "put up." Jellies, jams, preserves, pickles, relishes and conserves. I have a special fondness for quarter-pints. Mom thinks they're a waste as they take a regular lid and ring and cost as much or more than half pints. But they're the perfect size for me to take on my travels or to pop in a lunch bag for work.

While frugality with potential canning supplies has been ingrained in my family for generations, my and Mom's focus on it has increased over the past few years as new canning jars, lids and rings have become increasingly expensive.

Unfortunately, the same trend has spilled over into estate sales and thrift stores. It used to be I could find canning jars of about any size for a quarter or 50 cents. Then pints and quarts began going for more like $1. Recently, I've seen used canning jars at local thrift stores for $1.99 to $2.99 — each.

I think my sister Pam has the answer to this newfound demand for old jars, especially quarts. It's not necessarily more people home canning. It's the "country" trend in home decor, parties, weddings and other events.

Ever heard of a "barn wedding?" They've been popular a few years, along with outdoor weddings with a country theme. Bridal and baby showers have followed suit, Pam says, based on her own experiences.

I'm not sure what to make of all that. The only quart jar I've ever seen at a wedding or party had a little corn in it.

If you want to make something with corn for your own canning jars, here's the recipe I mentioned above. I've shared it before. It's always popular wherever I take it. And when served nice and cold, it's wonderful in the hot summertime.

Sweet, Sour & Crispy Summer Salad

1 15-oz can Le Sueur Very Young Small Peas (drained)

1 15-oz can Del Monte white corn (drained)

1 cup thinly sliced green onion (including tops)

1 7-oz jar Dromedary diced pimentos

Mix all above in large heat-resistant bowl

Mix 1 cup Domino sugar, 1 cup Wesson vegetable oil, one cup White House Apple Cider Vinegar, 1 teaspoon Morton’s salt, and ½ teaspoon McCormick pure ground black pepper. Bring to a boil and let boil, while stirring briskly, for two minutes. Pour over vegetable mixture. Refrigerate before serving. Is best when made at least a day ahead of time.

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop.

Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time.

Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.

Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription

Check your email for details.

Invalid password or account does not exist

Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.

An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account.

Thank you. Your purchase was successful.

A receipt was sent to your email.