With Ball lids approaching $4.00 a dozen locally I splurged and ordered
345 regular Mason jar lids from Lehman's. They came in today in a long
tube. Even including shipping I believe we came out ahead as the total
cost per dozen on these generic lids is right at $2.50 a dozen. Of
course if I could have found them locally I would have not paid shipping
but, evidently, there's not enough demand in our area for anyone to open
a canning store.

Once I use some of the lids I will report on how they work but I'm sure
they will do fine as I have talked to other canners who use them and
they had no complaints other than the odd failure, which happens with
name brand lids too.

We're enjoying weather in the low eighties F and no rain today but
expected tomorrow. We did get the lawn mowed and I will weed eat the
area this afternoon. We're currently still painting in the master
bedroom, the walls are all done and the ceiling was painted last year so
a quick wash showed it was okay. Miz Anne is painting the trim today. As
soon as I can get her to empty her closet that will be painted and we
will be ready to move on toward finishing the renovation of this old
house and it can go on the market.

The spring garden is doing well, we may get enough green peas this year
to be able to can or freeze some for later use. I have already canned
many pints of carrots from the fall and spring crop so don't need
anymore of those. We have tiny green tomatoes and the sweet chiles are
starting to bloom. The Swiss chard has about one more picking before it
starts bolting and the cabbage crop this past winter was terrible, no
cabbage to speak of. Squirrels have already gotten the peach crop, the
plum trees bloomed but did not set fruit. The quince tree is in full
bloom and the persimmon is setting fruit so we may get something out of
the garden this year. We did wash and dry several pounds of bay leaves
that will either be gifted to family and friends or sold at the farmer's
market locally.

Otherwise the Shirley crew is doing fine.

George

George Shirley wrote:

> With Ball lids approaching $4.00 a dozen locally I splurged and ordered
> 345 regular Mason jar lids from Lehman's. They came in today in a long
> tube. Even including shipping I believe we came out ahead as the total
> cost per dozen on these generic lids is right at $2.50 a dozen. Of
> course if I could have found them locally I would have not paid shipping
> but, evidently, there's not enough demand in our area for anyone to open
> a canning store.

wow! i sure hope that isn't the price they'll be
at this year around here. might be worth figuring
out a food safe coating and roll them with it again.
joke... well, erm, sorta joke...

i don't recall what the price was last year when
we picked some up. i don't think it was much over
$2/dozen.


> Once I use some of the lids I will report on how they work but I'm sure
> they will do fine as I have talked to other canners who use them and
> they had no complaints other than the odd failure, which happens with
> name brand lids too.

i have more bad jars than lids. getting old jars
returned or given to me and some of them are chipped
or cracked.


> We're enjoying weather in the low eighties F and no rain today but
> expected tomorrow. We did get the lawn mowed and I will weed eat the
> area this afternoon. We're currently still painting in the master
> bedroom, the walls are all done and the ceiling was painted last year so
> a quick wash showed it was okay. Miz Anne is painting the trim today. As
> soon as I can get her to empty her closet that will be painted and we
> will be ready to move on toward finishing the renovation of this old
> house and it can go on the market.

the light at the end of the closet?


> The spring garden is doing well, we may get enough green peas this year
> to be able to can or freeze some for later use. I have already canned
> many pints of carrots from the fall and spring crop so don't need
> anymore of those. We have tiny green tomatoes and the sweet chiles are
> starting to bloom. The Swiss chard has about one more picking before it
> starts bolting and the cabbage crop this past winter was terrible, no
> cabbage to speak of. Squirrels have already gotten the peach crop, the
> plum trees bloomed but did not set fruit. The quince tree is in full
> bloom and the persimmon is setting fruit so we may get something out of
> the garden this year. We did wash and dry several pounds of bay leaves
> that will either be gifted to family and friends or sold at the farmer's
> market locally.
>
> Otherwise the Shirley crew is doing fine.

glad to hear things are mostly going well. you must
have cracked the whip for those kids in the attic and
on the roof to be working back inside instead.

repeated frosts/freezes here are taking out a lot of
the flowers and plants. including the strawberries that
started blooming Mar 26. the peas and onion sprouts are
surviving through it all. the turnip seedlings gave up.
good thing i have plenty more seeds to put in later after
the weather really warms up.


songbird

On Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:58:01 -0500, George Shirley
> wrote:

>With Ball lids approaching $4.00 a dozen locally I splurged and ordered
>345 regular Mason jar lids from Lehman's. They came in today in a long
>tube. Even including shipping I believe we came out ahead as the total
>cost per dozen on these generic lids is right at $2.50 a dozen. Of
>course if I could have found them locally I would have not paid shipping
>but, evidently, there's not enough demand in our area for anyone to open
>a canning store.
>
>Once I use some of the lids I will report on how they work but I'm sure
>they will do fine as I have talked to other canners who use them and
>they had no complaints other than the odd failure, which happens with
>name brand lids too.
>
>We're enjoying weather in the low eighties F and no rain today but
>expected tomorrow. We did get the lawn mowed and I will weed eat the
>area this afternoon. We're currently still painting in the master
>bedroom, the walls are all done and the ceiling was painted last year so
>a quick wash showed it was okay. Miz Anne is painting the trim today. As
>soon as I can get her to empty her closet that will be painted and we
>will be ready to move on toward finishing the renovation of this old
>house and it can go on the market.
>
>The spring garden is doing well, we may get enough green peas this year
>to be able to can or freeze some for later use. I have already canned
>many pints of carrots from the fall and spring crop so don't need
>anymore of those. We have tiny green tomatoes and the sweet chiles are
>starting to bloom. The Swiss chard has about one more picking before it
>starts bolting and the cabbage crop this past winter was terrible, no
>cabbage to speak of. Squirrels have already gotten the peach crop, the
>plum trees bloomed but did not set fruit. The quince tree is in full
>bloom and the persimmon is setting fruit so we may get something out of
>the garden this year. We did wash and dry several pounds of bay leaves
>that will either be gifted to family and friends or sold at the farmer's
>market locally.
>
>Otherwise the Shirley crew is doing fine.
>
>George

We walked into the local grocery store here in the NC boonies and they
had a display of Ball jars and lids right in front. I really did not
pay too much attention but DH says the price was $2.47 a box.
--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974)

George....did you order them from Lehman's in Kidron,Ohio?......I live
about 14 miles from there and love to visit...Carol

On 4/12/2012 1:58 AM, Carol S wrote:
> George....did you order them from Lehman's in Kidron,Ohio?......I live
> about 14 miles from there and love to visit...Carol
>
I reckon so, ordered them online, is that the only store they have? You
could save some bucks on the shipping if you buy locally.

I compared them to a box of Golden Harvest lids I had on hand and they
appear the same. Probably come from the same factory. I picked several
lids at random and examined them closely, they were all in perfect
condition so I expect they will all seal when used.

Yes it is their only store....they have items from non-electric
appliances to cookie cutters and are in the middle of Amish
country.....Carol

In article >,
George Shirley > wrote:

> With Ball lids approaching $4.00 a dozen locally I splurged and ordered
> 345 regular Mason jar lids from Lehman's. They came in today in a long
> tube. Even including shipping I believe we came out ahead as the total
> cost per dozen on these generic lids is right at $2.50 a dozen.
>
(weather report snipped)
>
(gardening snipped)

Four bucks a dozen!!?? That's nuts. I know it's nothing near that
here. But now I'll have to check for sure. :-) Are the lids blank
on top?

--
Barb,
http://web.me.com/barbschaller September 5, 2011

On 4/13/2012 9:06 AM, Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In >,
> George > wrote:
>
>> With Ball lids approaching $4.00 a dozen locally I splurged and ordered
>> 345 regular Mason jar lids from Lehman's. They came in today in a long
>> tube. Even including shipping I believe we came out ahead as the total
>> cost per dozen on these generic lids is right at $2.50 a dozen.
>>
> (weather report snipped)
>>
> (gardening snipped)
>
> Four bucks a dozen!!?? That's nuts. I know it's nothing near that
> here. But now I'll have to check for sure. :-) Are the lids blank
> on top?
>
The ones I bought are, look exactly like the Golden Harvest lids I had
on hand, same color, same sealant color, probably made by Jardin, aka
Ball, Kerr, etc.

Was in Kroger this morning, regular Ball lids are now $2.09 plus 9.25%
sales tax and large are $2.99 plus 9.25% sales tax. Makes the large lids
$3.27 a dozen with tax and all. Talked to store manager, she says they
just reduced the price for "canning season." Go figure, most of us can
year around.

I'm happy with the lids from Lehman, I will empty the kraft paper tube
and stack them in plastic boxes I have on hand. Should last me at least
a year or more, depending on how the fruit and vegetable crops go. My
neighbor on the west side just sprayed more round-up along the fence
line, the fruit trees on that side were just setting fruit, probably
drop them like they did last year. Need to have another chat with him, a
little more forceful this time. He's a nice guy and a decent neighbor
but has a problem with weeds. The fence is three inches inside my
property line so he's spraying my property. I weed eat his side of the
fence every time I mow so he doesn't need to spray. Unfortunately he
sprayed along his wife's flower beds in front of his house, big dead
strip in front of the bed and the flowers all appear to be dying now.
She may speak to him more forcefully than I can. <G>

On Fri, 13 Apr 2012 10:41:25 -0500, George Shirley
> wrote:

>On 4/13/2012 9:06 AM, Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>> In >,
>> George > wrote:
>>
>>> With Ball lids approaching $4.00 a dozen locally I splurged and ordered
>>> 345 regular Mason jar lids from Lehman's. They came in today in a long
>>> tube. Even including shipping I believe we came out ahead as the total
>>> cost per dozen on these generic lids is right at $2.50 a dozen.
>>>
>> (weather report snipped)
>>>
>> (gardening snipped)
>>
>> Four bucks a dozen!!?? That's nuts. I know it's nothing near that
>> here. But now I'll have to check for sure. :-) Are the lids blank
>> on top?
>>
>The ones I bought are, look exactly like the Golden Harvest lids I had
>on hand, same color, same sealant color, probably made by Jardin, aka
>Ball, Kerr, etc.
>
>Was in Kroger this morning, regular Ball lids are now $2.09 plus 9.25%
>sales tax and large are $2.99 plus 9.25% sales tax. Makes the large lids
>$3.27 a dozen with tax and all. Talked to store manager, she says they
>just reduced the price for "canning season." Go figure, most of us can
>year around.
>
>I'm happy with the lids from Lehman, I will empty the kraft paper tube
>and stack them in plastic boxes I have on hand. Should last me at least
>a year or more, depending on how the fruit and vegetable crops go. My
>neighbor on the west side just sprayed more round-up along the fence
>line, the fruit trees on that side were just setting fruit, probably
>drop them like they did last year. Need to have another chat with him, a
>little more forceful this time. He's a nice guy and a decent neighbor
>but has a problem with weeds. The fence is three inches inside my
>property line so he's spraying my property. I weed eat his side of the
>fence every time I mow so he doesn't need to spray. Unfortunately he
>sprayed along his wife's flower beds in front of his house, big dead
>strip in front of the bed and the flowers all appear to be dying now.
>She may speak to him more forcefully than I can. <G>

She probably has more leverage than you have.
--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974)

On 4/13/2012 8:06 AM, Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In >,
> George > wrote:
>
>> With Ball lids approaching $4.00 a dozen locally I splurged and ordered
>> 345 regular Mason jar lids from Lehman's. They came in today in a long
>> tube. Even including shipping I believe we came out ahead as the total
>> cost per dozen on these generic lids is right at $2.50 a dozen.
>>
> (weather report snipped)
>>
> (gardening snipped)
>
> Four bucks a dozen!!?? That's nuts. I know it's nothing near that
> here. But now I'll have to check for sure. :-) Are the lids blank
> on top?
>


Golden Harvest lids are about $2.49 at Big Lots but they haven't gotten
this year's shipment. I bought the last 7 boxes from last year last
week. Next they will probably reduce the boxes to 10 lids. :-(
Life is getting too expensive.

gloria p

George Shirley wrote:
>Carol S wrote:

>> George....did you order them from Lehman's in Kidron,Ohio?......I live
>> about 14 miles from there and love to visit...Carol
>>
> I reckon so, ordered them online, is that the only store they have? You
> could save some bucks on the shipping if you buy locally.
>
> I compared them to a box of Golden Harvest lids I had on hand and they
> appear the same. Probably come from the same factory. I picked several
> lids at random and examined them closely, they were all in perfect
> condition so I expect they will all seal when used.

today i had to pick up some oil for the lawnmower
and checked out the prices of lids. they didn't
have any other brand than Ball but they were made
in the USA.

$1.63/dozen for the small (regular sized lids) and
$2.29/dozen for the large mouth sized.

since i hoped to be making plenty of strawberry jam
this season i started stocking up with four boxes.
i'm sure i'll be back there again.

i think we are just about finished up with the
lids we had left over from the 70s.


songbird

George Shirley wrote:
....
> I'm happy with the lids from Lehman, I will empty the kraft paper tube
> and stack them in plastic boxes I have on hand. Should last me at least
> a year or more, depending on how the fruit and vegetable crops go.

George, you probably know this but some new folks to
canning might not so...

anyways, lids often have sharp edges so if you don't
keep them tight together and safe from sliding around
they can damage the coating that keeps the metal from
reacting with acidic contents.

sometimes i notice a scratch even from lids i've been
real careful with because they've clanked off one another
in the warming pan i use when they are getting softened
up.

i'm thinking i might need to start layering them in
a thin towel and then putting that in the water.


> My
> neighbor on the west side just sprayed more round-up along the fence
> line, the fruit trees on that side were just setting fruit, probably
> drop them like they did last year. Need to have another chat with him, a
> little more forceful this time. He's a nice guy and a decent neighbor
> but has a problem with weeds. The fence is three inches inside my
> property line so he's spraying my property. I weed eat his side of the
> fence every time I mow so he doesn't need to spray. Unfortunately he
> sprayed along his wife's flower beds in front of his house, big dead
> strip in front of the bed and the flowers all appear to be dying now.
> She may speak to him more forcefully than I can. <G>

Oh my!


songbird

On 4/13/2012 5:53 PM, songbird wrote:
> George Shirley wrote:
> ...
>> I'm happy with the lids from Lehman, I will empty the kraft paper tube
>> and stack them in plastic boxes I have on hand. Should last me at least
>> a year or more, depending on how the fruit and vegetable crops go.
>
> George, you probably know this but some new folks to
> canning might not so...
>
> anyways, lids often have sharp edges so if you don't
> keep them tight together and safe from sliding around
> they can damage the coating that keeps the metal from
> reacting with acidic contents.
I've never had a scratch in the sixty plus years I've been canning.
Stacked in a plastic container they're not sliding around, just stacked up.
>
> sometimes i notice a scratch even from lids i've been
> real careful with because they've clanked off one another
> in the warming pan i use when they are getting softened
> up.
>
I use a magnetic wand to get the lids out of the sauce pan they're
heating up in, pretty much always have done that too. Just a plastic
wand with a magnet on the end. I think the current one came from a Ball
kit at a store, couldn't swear to it. Last one I had I made from an oak
dowel with a small magnet glued to it with super glue.

> i'm thinking i might need to start layering them in
> a thin towel and then putting that in the water.
>
Get a stick magnet, it's lots easier.
>
>> My
>> neighbor on the west side just sprayed more round-up along the fence
>> line, the fruit trees on that side were just setting fruit, probably
>> drop them like they did last year. Need to have another chat with him, a
>> little more forceful this time. He's a nice guy and a decent neighbor
>> but has a problem with weeds. The fence is three inches inside my
>> property line so he's spraying my property. I weed eat his side of the
>> fence every time I mow so he doesn't need to spray. Unfortunately he
>> sprayed along his wife's flower beds in front of his house, big dead
>> strip in front of the bed and the flowers all appear to be dying now.
>> She may speak to him more forcefully than I can.<G>
>
> Oh my!
>
>
> songbird

On Fri, 13 Apr 2012 09:06:51 -0500, Melba's Jammin'
> wrote:

>In article >,
> George Shirley > wrote:
>
>> With Ball lids approaching $4.00 a dozen locally I splurged and ordered
>> 345 regular Mason jar lids from Lehman's. They came in today in a long
>> tube. Even including shipping I believe we came out ahead as the total
>> cost per dozen on these generic lids is right at $2.50 a dozen.
>>
>(weather report snipped)
>>
>(gardening snipped)
>
>Four bucks a dozen!!?? That's nuts. I know it's nothing near that
>here. But now I'll have to check for sure. :-) Are the lids blank
>on top?


I was just in the local grocery store and the price of regular size
Ball lids is $1.67 and the wide mouth is $2.47 for boxes of 12. I
stocked up while I was there.

AS I have said before I love the fact that they keep canning supplies
year around.
--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974)

George Shirley wrote:
>songbird wrote:
>> George Shirley wrote:
>> ...
>>> I'm happy with the lids from Lehman, I will empty the kraft paper tube
>>> and stack them in plastic boxes I have on hand. Should last me at least
>>> a year or more, depending on how the fruit and vegetable crops go.
>>
>> George, you probably know this but some new folks to
>> canning might not so...
>>
>> anyways, lids often have sharp edges so if you don't
>> keep them tight together and safe from sliding around
>> they can damage the coating that keeps the metal from
>> reacting with acidic contents.
> I've never had a scratch in the sixty plus years I've been canning.

you're lucky then. i didn't know they
were so delicate the first season i used
some of the newer ones and scratched
three or four (just by dropping them in
water to warm them up and having them
float down and hit each other with the
sharp edge). never stir them just reach
in with a wooden spoon to lift them out.
still it was enough. once i noticed the
scratches rusting a little when we opened
the jars i was then a lot more careful
and haven't scratched too many more.


> Stacked in a plastic container they're not sliding around, just stacked up.

*nods* but if it were not a tight fitting
container you'd know that they'd have to be
repacked when you move to keep them from
scratching each other. some people might not
think of it or know. i just figured i'd
mention it.


>> sometimes i notice a scratch even from lids i've been
>> real careful with because they've clanked off one another
>> in the warming pan i use when they are getting softened
>> up.
>>
> I use a magnetic wand to get the lids out of the sauce pan they're
> heating up in, pretty much always have done that too. Just a plastic
> wand with a magnet on the end. I think the current one came from a Ball
> kit at a store, couldn't swear to it. Last one I had I made from an oak
> dowel with a small magnet glued to it with super glue.

sounds like a good plan. think i have
all three of those items on hand.


>> i'm thinking i might need to start layering them in
>> a thin towel and then putting that in the water.
>>
> Get a stick magnet, it's lots easier.

it would be. though i think my scratches
came from putting the lids in the water and not
from digging them out.


songbird

On 4/14/2012 11:05 PM, songbird wrote:
> George Shirley wrote:
>> songbird wrote:
>>> George Shirley wrote:
>>> ...
>>>> I'm happy with the lids from Lehman, I will empty the kraft paper tube
>>>> and stack them in plastic boxes I have on hand. Should last me at least
>>>> a year or more, depending on how the fruit and vegetable crops go.
>>>
>>> George, you probably know this but some new folks to
>>> canning might not so...
>>>
>>> anyways, lids often have sharp edges so if you don't
>>> keep them tight together and safe from sliding around
>>> they can damage the coating that keeps the metal from
>>> reacting with acidic contents.
>> I've never had a scratch in the sixty plus years I've been canning.
>
> you're lucky then. i didn't know they
> were so delicate the first season i used
> some of the newer ones and scratched
> three or four (just by dropping them in
> water to warm them up and having them
> float down and hit each other with the
> sharp edge). never stir them just reach
> in with a wooden spoon to lift them out.
> still it was enough. once i noticed the
> scratches rusting a little when we opened
> the jars i was then a lot more careful
> and haven't scratched too many more.
>
>
>> Stacked in a plastic container they're not sliding around, just stacked up.
>
> *nods* but if it were not a tight fitting
> container you'd know that they'd have to be
> repacked when you move to keep them from
> scratching each other. some people might not
> think of it or know. i just figured i'd
> mention it.
>
>
>>> sometimes i notice a scratch even from lids i've been
>>> real careful with because they've clanked off one another
>>> in the warming pan i use when they are getting softened
>>> up.
>>>
>> I use a magnetic wand to get the lids out of the sauce pan they're
>> heating up in, pretty much always have done that too. Just a plastic
>> wand with a magnet on the end. I think the current one came from a Ball
>> kit at a store, couldn't swear to it. Last one I had I made from an oak
>> dowel with a small magnet glued to it with super glue.
>
> sounds like a good plan. think i have
> all three of those items on hand.
>
>
>>> i'm thinking i might need to start layering them in
>>> a thin towel and then putting that in the water.
>>>
>> Get a stick magnet, it's lots easier.
>
> it would be. though i think my scratches
> came from putting the lids in the water and not
> from digging them out.
>
>
> songbird
I drop the lids into a shallow pan half full of water that is at a
simmer. The lids are dropped with the seal side down and are dropped
flat. I then poke them under the water with a finger. As far as I know
I've never lost a lid due to scratches. One batch of Ball lids a few
years ago had a ten percent fail to seal rate, lost two out of a batch
of twelve. Dropped Ball an email and got a coupon back for a free box of
lids. Can't beat that type of service.

George Shirley wrote:
....
> I drop the lids into a shallow pan half full of water that is at a
> simmer. The lids are dropped with the seal side down and are dropped
> flat. I then poke them under the water with a finger.

that's about how i've done it too. then i
also put them in and ran water on them to
cover and warmed them up.


> As far as I know
> I've never lost a lid due to scratches. One batch of Ball lids a few
> years ago had a ten percent fail to seal rate, lost two out of a batch
> of twelve. Dropped Ball an email and got a coupon back for a free box of
> lids. Can't beat that type of service.



i don't lose a lid from the scratch as i can't
even see the scratch until later when i open the
jar. there will be a scratch in the coating and
some rust can form. that's when i notice it. we
usually don't move our sealed jars often so i never
notice it affecting the flavor. just something
that happens.

would be nice if they could buff or dull the edges
of the stamped metal lids so they wouldn't be so
sharp, but i'm sure they'd double the cost too.
shh! pretend i didn't say that.


songbird