A few of the remaining mason jars on the shelf at the Redcliff Home Hardware on Monday. (CHAT News photo).

By Alex McCuaig

Scooping up supplies

A pickle of a problem for people looking to preserve vegetables this year

Sep 14, 2020 | 2:33 PM

REDCLIFF, AB – A busy spring planting season for backyard vegetable growers this year has led to a pickle of a problem for those looking to make this fall’s harvest last through the winter as there is a shortage of canning supplies.

Many stores across the region that usually stock an array of mason jars, lids and cookers say they are sold out.

The owner of the Redcliff Home Hardware, Rob Craats, says orders which usually would last a season now are being cleared off shelves in an afternoon.

“We would sell through to the end of September into October but now they are just selling as soon as we can get them,” he said of the quart-sized mason jars. “Same goes with lids, replacement lids – anything to do with canning. Canners themselves, I’m out of stock, unable to get at this moment.”

WHAT'S ON

Here is what's on this weekend in Medicine Hat and area: Dec. 13-15

20h ago

IN THE COMMUNITY

Medicine Hat's Mustard Seed adding new shelter spaces at Alberta government's request

Dec 12, 2024

HOLIDAYS

Medicine Hat Kiwanis hosting Christmas dinner, applications due Friday

Dec 12, 2024

Craats called the store’s garden centre sales, “phenomenal” this spring.

“It was like everybody was sticking around home, everybody became a gardener this year. So we were totally out of seeds, we were sold out of garden supplies fairly early on,” he said.

Several stores contacted by CHAT News Today are reporting similar shortages if not totally depleted stocks of canning supplies.