Yep, that one is usable as either one-steam or water bath. Any pot can be used as a water bath canner if the sides are high enough for the water to cover the jars and it has a lid to ensure even heat throughout the pot.
My Grandmother was the only one that canned and she did it up into the 60s'. My favorite was Tomato Preserves, probably been since the 60s I've had any. They are so good
They are. My mom canned tomatoes. In her later years she was careless about not using a proper mason jar and lid. You can use other kinds of jars if you do a wax seal but you need to be careful even with that. If I saw a jar had turned brown I'd surreptitiously throw it out.
It was a spring ritual with my Grandmother in the 50s that she would go buy a case of mason jars and lids and of course the wax. We always had a lot of stuff to can in our backyard. Pears, figs and a few peaches. It seemed that everyone in Houston in the 50s backwards all had home gardens and canned things.
. I'm still planning on getting a few chickens for eggs. That's waiting on money for a wire fence and coop. I'm a little squeamish and I'm not looking forward to killing them for meat when their time comes, but it seems hypocritical to eat chicken and not be able to do that. I remember that in the 50s about half the houses in my small town in Maryland had grape vines in the backyard or growing up over and around the back door on a small arbor. They're all gone now. I might try to do that. My backyard gets good sun. Does anyone know how long a grapevine would take to produce?
Two thoughts on butchering chickens. Or anything. Instead of lopping off their heads, there is a cone you can up end the bird into. Then you slit a vein in the neck, not the windpipe. You need someone to show you how so you don't cut into the croup, instead. The chicken bleeds out and goes unconscious instead of feeling the fear of not being able to breathe. Or, you can wrap the bird snugly in a towel and hold it. Cutting an animals throat seems cruel to me.
It does seem cruel. I remember my mom killing chickens back when we lived in Virginia. The body flapping around and squirting blood is gruesome. Thank you, Mary. I'll look into that cone thing. I'm not following how it works but I'll find out.
Speaking of which, has anyone else noticed how many truly bad, dangerous drivers there are these days? Of all ages, too.