The Spirit of Sharing
It seems the surge in home gardening has become a surge in home canning. How awesome is that? Not only are more people growing food, but they are doing it well enough to need long term preservation and storage. This is a major win for everyone. The only down side is that mason jars, as well as replacement lids and bands, have become harder to find recently.

After reading a social media post of my troubles locating enough jars for my tomatoes, my super generous sister gifted me a dozen quarts. That is the thing about sisters. Christmas presents show up when you need them, not necessarily at Christmas.
I thanked my sister for her generosity. I also warned her that she would very likely receive some jars back, full of various stuff. It just happened that we had a small get-together planned for our father’s birthday this weekend- a perfect opportunity to give a full jar back. With what did I fill the jar? Just watch…


Step three: agitate for maximum flavor extraction. Place the lid on the jar, shake the jar violently, and set the jar in the refrigerator. For the next 24 hours, shake the jar every time you open the refrigerator.




As you can see, my sister was quite pleased to get a jar back from us. She texted me later; she and my brother in law had sampled the creme de menthe and enjoyed it. I might make more for Christmas gifts. I certainly have the mint leaves for it!
DIY culture is all about sharing, be it information, materials, ideas, or tools. What have you been sharing this season? Let us know in the comments.