If you like to preserve your own harvest I am sure you are familiar with Mason Jars. Have you ever been curious as to who made them? A New Jersey born son of a Scottish farmer, named John Landis Mason developed Mason Jars. He patented his jars in 1858. Before that time home food preservation was a tricky affair. Most people relied on cork and wax contraptions to seal food and it often was unsuccessful.
With the Mason Jar and it’s threaded neck and screw on lid, the canner could form a seal as the hot liquids cooled. The jars were almost transparent so you could see what was inside. Unfortunately Mason never capitalized on his success and instead assigned his patent rights to another company and died a charity case. However the invention of the Mason Jars helped to spark a home-canning revolution that lasted until the 1950’s. World War II caused another spike in Mason Jar production as the government encouraged Americans to grown their own gardens and preserve what they grew at home.
Today original Mason Jars are prized collectibles. They are often used to hold pencils or other knickknacks.
I’ve even used them to make lamps! For those of us who still to like to preserve what we grown at home you will still find Mason Jars in use. I find it very satisfying to walk into my pantry and see the numerous jars filled with the gardens bounty.
Linked to: RuralityBlogHop, TheCharmOfHome, LadiesHoliday, TheDedicatedHouse, CreativeHomeAcreHop
Nancy on the Home Front 