Decorative jars for canning (not mason!)
 

http://www.weckcanning.com/docs/order_form.htm

These are GREAT looking jars for canning for gifts.

These look to be ideal for jellies to be processed as gifts (Christmas is coming you know).

The have glass lids, rubber seals with temp. metal clips to use for processing.

We are going to order some and try them out. We have about 100 lb's of berries to turn into jelly in the next few weeks. Will report on how they work.

http://www.weckcanning.com/images/deco901.jpg

Re: Decorative jars for canning (not mason!)
 

Logan Berry, Raspberry, Blackberry.

Will make most into blackberry/raspberry jam. We also have some blueberrry and strawberry. Will try to do blueberry syrup and strawberry jam (may have to be rhubarb/strawberry).

Over 150 lbs total.

Re: Decorative jars for canning (not mason!)
 

This will be our first try with the strawberries.

Canning and jam making is a lost art. Good info is hard to find.

Found out why everyone pairs strawberry and rhubarb. Come to find out sb are very low in acid, and to make matters worse have an extremely high water content. This ususally makes the pectin not set and you end up with runny jam.

This is why strawberries were paired with rhubarb in the old days. The rhubarb has enough acid for both and helps with the set.

Re: Decorative jars for canning (not mason!)
 

We are still eating off of jam we made in 2006 btw.

We use the ball low sugar pectin. More fruit, less sugar. GREAT jam.

Re: Decorative jars for canning (not mason!)
 

Still no fall weather here in Texas. Worked outside today, hotter than heck, even managed to get myself overheated.

Looking forward to try canning some chili and chicken when the weather gets colder.

Re: Decorative jars for canning (not mason!)
 

i wanted to teach a couple of young kids how to make jam so a few weeks ago i got some blueberries and strawberries together...i think we made up a dozen jars of each...

i used a no-sugar pectin, not a reduced sugar pectin...

but i added agave to it in amounts just shy of using a sugar recipee...

it turned out pretty good, the color was a little darker than using sugar in the strawberry jam recipee but i'm thinking with the agave its healthier...

these kids have a tendency to bounce off the wall if they eat sugar is why i opted for the natural substitute...

Re: Decorative jars for canning (not mason!)
 

Sounds yummy techguy

Our blackberry bushes are growing and spreading nicely
But we have yet to get any good fruit from them.
Maybe next year....

Re: Decorative jars for canning (not mason!)
 

probably about 5 or so, there was a chart on the agave container that gave a ratio to use as a substitute for sugar and thats what i went by...

i was concerned about the agave fluid setting with the jam but it worked fine...

Re: Decorative jars for canning (not mason!)
 

Our own blackberry bushes are on the major project list for spring. I have to build some boxes and trellises for them and bring in some sand.

We were looking at doyles thornless blackberries.

http://www.fruitsandberries.com/

http://www.fruitsandberries.com/siteImages/berries.jpg

Re: Decorative jars for canning (not mason!)
 

I find the natural thorny blackberry's here in the midwest the best to transplant. They are vigorous and grow just about anywhere were theres a little shade in the morning.
Not to be showing off but I've picked many gallons of blackberries that where bigger than my thumb and sweet as sweet can be.

Re: Decorative jars for canning (not mason!)
 

We also like to use the low-sugar pectin as we dislike overly sweet jam.

One thing we found with strawberry jam that really helps is to puree the fruit in a food processor before adding the fruit to the sugar and bring the mixture to a boil. I am not really sure of the chemistry involved, but since we started using the food processor and bringing the strawberry and sugar mixture to a hard boil, we have had no issues with the jam not setting.

Our last jam session involved about 60 pounds of fresh peaches, so I do not envy you with 150 pounds of berries. That is a lot of work.