The people advising starting with cold water and cold foods aren't going to listen regardless of what you say or what publications you show to them. It's so much easier to just let stuff like this go. I've seen discussions like this before and it almost never ends well.

In this instance the water in the canner will heat up faster than the food in the jars. It's a fact and there's no getting around it. However, people try to by saying you need to slowly bring the canner to temperature. Apparently they think it is a waste of time to do things the right way and they'd rather wait for an unspecified amount of time for the jars of food to hopefully heat up inside the canner before they start processing.

Rodney

P.S. I am still far away from being an experienced canner. Very far. haha

Thank you both for the information and words of wisdom. I hate getting into discussions like that, and Rodney, you are right, they never seem to end well. I have not said anything the times I've seen this subject come up, and it's been hard not to say anything, but I'm not able to articulate the reasons or rules like Dave can. I know to follow the guidelines and to make sure I understand those guidelines in such a way that know I'm following them correctly, but I don't worry anymore so much about the whys and wherefores, as long as I do it the way I'm supposed to. It has just been hard to see this topic come up a few times and not see it corrected. There are several people on that site that do seem to know what they're talking about and always promote NCHFP, and they are usually the ones who correct misconceptions, but they have been silent on this topic time and time again. I wish the harvest forum was as active as it used to be because the information here is so good.

Yes, there are more than a few people here that absolutely know what they are talking about and will give the very safest advice as they know it, even if it might seem an unpopular view. I'm not one, LOL. Usually, if someone posts an "unsafe" recipe, someone will pipe up that it is not a safe way to go. I've learned through the years who I can trust and I gauge that by comparing their advice to what I research via the Ball's Blue Book or NCHFP. There are some very good people here, some really knowledgeable, some very experienced. Lori

Yes, I feel that way, too, Lori. Harvest Forum isn't as active as it used to be and I miss the frequency of new topics and new posts. I thought (for a while) that I'd found a facebook group that was as grounded in safe canning as I'd found garden web harvest to be. I learned so much here when I was first beginning and was lucky enough to find a "smart and safe" group right off the bat. so I never had to unlearn bad habits...just keep learning! I've been canning over 10 years now, and feel quite competent. I can't explain things the way some of the others can. The facebook group is very active and I was heartened to find that they state upfront that they promote only safe methods and recommend guidelines from NCHFP, although they acknowledge that some members are worldwide with different outlook on canning procedures. They also state that they don't tolerate repeated posts of "we've always done it this way and no one died yet." I figured out pretty quick that there were several knowledgeable posters. who I began to trust, much like several here on Harvest. I even learned a couple of new things from them. On the other hand, I guess with a membership as large as it is, some things get through, or the really knowledgeable folks run out of energy to catch or correct all errors.

The first time I saw someone post about filling cold jars, using cold liquid, and putting in a cold canner, I was so surprised that no one corrected them. I saw people agreeing with them, and stating it would take longer for the canner to boil or come up to pressure, but no one said anything about it being wrong. I let it go several times, thinking the experts would speak up, and then finally I couldn't stand it any longer. I made a quiet, non-confrontational comment, not telling them it was wrong, just stated to please follow the instructions of hot jars, hot liquid, preheated water in canner, regardless of whether raw or hot pack. Then I posted link to canning instructions for NCHFP. No one jumped on me (yet).

There are a few other specific instances of things not being corrected, and it bothers me. On the other hand, I do see quite a bit of bad information being politely corrected, with references and links to NCHFP. My feeling though, is that if some of the information is bad, and isn't corrected, then I can't trust the site enough to rely on it. I'd rather not visit at all and may end my association there. It's a let down, because there is valuable information there.

Jill in Texas

I do a lot of forums and learned way back in the age of the dinosaurs that you'll never change someone's mind set. :-) Especially the "we've always done it this way and no one died yet" bunch. So the best you can do, for the benefit of other/future readers, is just post a note about the correct alternative (with link if available) and a brief explanation of why when you know the reason. Then hope that the other/future readers are at least inclined to give the alternative some thought and/or investigation. If they choose to ignore it they are the ones who pay the price.

I too wish we were as active on this forum as we used to be and wish I knew why so many past regulars have disappeared or moved on. I honestly can't understand why the forum move alone should have cost us so many participants. But I continue to hope at least some of them will return and things will pick up as we move into this year's canning season.

Dave

If it were just an "old" canner doing it , I could accept their attitude and know I couldn't change their mind. I worry about the new ones just getting started and not knowing the difference between good advice and bad advice. I have done exactly what you have said...posted the link, and try to keep the explanation brief and non-confrontational. I never get into arguments with people. I post the right way and move on. I will answer a question if asked, but I don't debate it.

I've tried to be grateful that our forum was rescued by Houzz and old posts saved because those archives are a wonderful resource. I think the format is a little off-putting because we no longer see the list of people responding to the posts and which posts are new to the thread. I have no idea if that is the reason people aren't as active or not. I'm certainly doing my part! LOL!