Send them here! I try not to store jars with rings on, except for the jams/jellies I make for sale, and I'm always buying new jars, but somehow I find myself short on RM rings. I just bought a gallon bag of them at Goodwill for $2, but there were only 4 RM and 24 WM.

I store the rings, in a box in the attic, with a whole lot of extra jars I've picked up over the years at yard sales and such. Realize that the rings start to rust after a while, even though I wash and dry them well. They also get bent or deformed. I don't store the canned food with the rings in place, so I understand that you don't need too many, but it is something that wears out - it is just so much nicer using a fresh ring instead of one with just a little too much rust to where it sticks when trying to remove it - sometimes even messing up a seal because of it sticking.

I was wondering the same thing! I have a lot of rings from jars I bought this year, plus a lot from previous years. I just threw them in a box. I live 1/2 mi from the ocean. I know in a few month's time, they'll be rusting. Everything rusts. Maybe I should store them in plastic?

I keep the ones I get from new boxes of jars in zip lock bags so they're "pretty" for gift giving (I keep them in my very damp basement and they don't rust).

I have about 4 dozen of each "in service".

When I have some that are bent or deformed or just slightly rusted, I give a bag to the church for Sunday morning during-service-daycare. There is no toy I've ever found that little kids love more than canning jar rings.

I would be happy to send them to someone who can use them. I'll do a quick count and make sure I have enough extra to make postage worthwhile (though I'm thinking there's 3-4doz easily).

Great tip on the kids toy! Hadn't thought of that, even though my squirts love my canning stuff (especially the jar lifter). It's so dry here, I don't think I've come across rusty rings yet.

I was joking, I think the postage across country is too much. Medium Flat rate is over $12.

Maybe make rain chains or wind chime-like decorations with them? They'd obviously rust quickly if left exposed to the elements so some sort of protection (a clear coat or paint or something) would be necessary. Just a thought.

Rodney

rodney, i like your creative mind !

I have several dozen of each size and I am going to offer them up on craigslist or freecycle.com. Last year I had someone take several dozen from me. She had yard sale jars and new lids but it saved her some money on buying rings. Another person took some to make musical instruments for kids by tying a bunch together.

Malna, you're right about the kids loving the canning jar rings. Put them into a metal colander and give them a spoon to stir and it's even more fun.

My oldest granddaughter wraps them with green yarn and makes Christmas wreath/ornaments from them, but my youngest thinks they are ankle bracelets, LOL.

I don't seem to collect too many, I have a plastic tote box with all my rings, packages of cheesecloth, boxes of lids, packages of pectin, etc., and I store them in the basement in that box. I do get rings that are bent or rusty periodically, those I discard or hand to the Princess for craft items. I do store all jars of canned goods without the rings.

Annie

Annie,
What an adorable picture. My, they grow fast, don't they?

Congratulations on selling your house (fingers crossed for you) and finally moving to the farm. It's taken a long time! I still miss the pictures of your orange countertops, though :-)

Make a wreath with them. Just do a search and you'll find ideas. I have a trash can full of really rusty ones that I have gotten on jars that are destined for something other than use on canning jars.

So, I found a couple more bags of them in the basement, which brings my total of excess rings to 249 reg and 18 wide mouth. Ha! I suppose it's what comes with starting canning and needing new jars--not sure if it's saving me any money yet since I'm still stocking up on jars, but it's fun!

malna, I miss the orange counters a bit too. Now my kitchen is oh-so-pretty but not nearly as friendly, I'm afraid I'm going to mess something up all the time, so now I'm a more "careful" cook, but it's not as much fun...

balloonflower, I never buy new jars. I have all of mine and all of Grandma's, of course, and now all of Dad's, since he passed away. I've gotten them from the second hand stores, at yard sales, from the "church grandmas" who are astounded that a "youngster" my age cans. I'm 59, LOL. They happily give me boxes of jars in exchange for a loaf of bread and a jar of homemade pickles or jam, and everyone is happy, it's a win-win.

I have some old jars that I figure are at least 100 years old and some older, I don't use them regularly but I've used them in a pinch and they still seal up just fine.

Annie

I wish I had a community like that! I meet lots of people who say "gee, I wish I would have known *** years ago when I was getting rid of moms old jars". I did have one of the ladies in my herb guild bring me a whole 8 jars a couple weeks ago. Canning here in the city is such an oddity--most people are just amazed that I do that. I'm sure there are more who do it--the stores sell supplies, but I don't know anyone, only one person who used to be a part of our community garden. And I suppose I am young for canning--only 37. I'm sure some of it has to do with lack of garden space--the community gardens all have wait lists.

I would be willing to pay the medium flat rate postage for as many as you can fit into the box. Or even the large flat rate. I'm going to have to buy regular mouth rings. I'm fine with wide mouth at this time.