Is there some store in DC or nearby that sells canning supplies? Sometimes
I read "your local farming supply store will have ...". I have to go a good ways
to find such an establishment.

I have an assorted collection of empty jars, mostly traditional Ball type.
Checked out Sur La Table on-line, and see that they start with an entirely
different type of jars.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Not sure about where in DC, but I have seen canning supplies at Wal-Mart, Giants, and my local hardware store.

The Rockville Giant has jars and lids, but doesn't always have pectin. Rockville Food Lion has lids, pectin and pickling salt, but not jars. Very annoying, and neither has any other kind of equipment.

Wal-Mart or a hardware store might be your best bet if you need a kettle, jar lifter, etc. along with jars. Or you could try online - several sites offer a Ball "starter kit".

For those searching for canning supplies, I have found glass jars, lids, and pectin at Shoppers Food Warehouses around the area. Sur la Table carries a $12.95 canning starter kit that includes a jar lifter, tongs, a plastic stick with a magnet for lifting the lids and one other tool. I canned last year without a jar lifter and I have to say that it was a million times easier this year with one.

I found low sugar pectin last year at Shoppers Food Warehouse and wasn't able to find it again this year when I made my strawberry jam. Last year's jam made with 4 cups of sugar instead of this year's 7 cups of sugar tasted more intense to me and my family. Since then, I've been on a hunt for low sugar pectin and found some no sugar pectin at Wegman's in Pennsylvania this weekend. The no sugar pectin looks promising. I'm not looking to do sugar free, but the ability to tailor the sugar level to highlight the fruit itself is appealing to me.

Food Lion carries low-sugar pectin.

the Giant at 9th and O NW (in DC) carries canning supplies in their "seasonal" aisles.

Fishers Hardware in Springfield has a wonderful array of canning supplies.

The Wegman's out in Sterling also sells canning supplies.

Within or close to city limits of DC, where's the best place for the carless to find inexpensive canning supplies?

I don't need a slew of things, but since I've been making my own yogurt, I've been sterilizing lids from old glass jars and they're starting to get a bit iffy. I am also planning to preserve some Meyer lemons.

* * *
I figured that instead of creating a new thread for every single item we seek, it might be a good idea to start a "catch-all" thread. I searched for such a topic before starting this and found zilch.

Thanks for the link and wealth of information!

I am not sure ordinary supermarkets would have canning lids in the depths of winter, but I'll look, and if not, swing by hardware stores and Sur la Table.

They have had canning jars at the SFW at Potomac Yards in the past, but I don't know if that's a seasonal product for them or not.

Oops. I'm not doing so well on reading comprehension these days. I didn't notice the "carless."

Anna -- Sometimes hardware stores (real ones) have canning supplies. You could call the Ace store at Tenleytown or other ones near Metro stations to inquire. Strosniders (Bethesda and Silver Spring) probably has them, though they are more of a hike.