Hello. I'm a reporter with The Associated Press in Montpelier, Vt. I've heard that canning supplies are hard to find this year because more people are gardening and preserving food during the coronavirus pandemic. Are any gardeners having a hard time to finding jars or lids? I'd like to communicate with a few about their experiences for a story. Thank you. Lisa Rathke
Name: Big Bill Livonia Michigan (Zone 6a) If you need to relax, grow plants!!
I doubt that that is true.
I can see local shortfalls due to heavy local pressure but you can easily get all the supplies that you would need on Amazon.
Orchid lecturer, teacher and judge. Retired Wildlife Biologist. Supervisor of a nature preserve up until I retired.
Hasn't been any lids, and minimal jars, in my area for nearly a month. The lids I find online are much more expensive than they normally are (if they're not sold out). Wide mouth seems more available than regular mouth.
The metal canning lids (for pressure or water bath canning) aren't reusable because they won't seal properly a second time. I usually can several dozen jars of tomato sauce that requires these lids. I have some plastic reusable ones for if I'm freezing stuff. I use them for freezer jam. But you can't use them for pressure/ water bath canning.
I live in NE Louisiana, No jars or lids anywhere. My friend and I keep bees and last year bought 400 cases of jars. My daughter finally found 10 cases in Shreveport and hasn't been able to find any more. You also can't find deep freezes. Crazy.
