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[sjc <indexer AT fairpoint.net>]

Cathy wrote:
> So, do you pressure can on a wood stove? I had trouble with that, but 
> maybe
> it was my less than ideal stove.
>   
I'm not since the last fire, but I did for the 30 years before then.  
You do need a decent stove, so you can depend on it to respond, it needs 
to be clean, and to know the stove and how it burns, and of course, 
after you have all that down pat, then you'll know what wood you need 
and how you want it all cut up.  Then it's just a matter of staying 
glued to the job.  Usually sent the kids to the neighbor's to play for 
the day, and she returned the favor, because if you can just concentrate 
on the job at hand, it goes easier (and maybe safer, depending on how 
distracting one's kids are; the problem with mine was they'd go to the 
woods or the creek and forget to come back).

Actually, when you get used to your stove/wood/canner set up, it seems 
easier to me, because you often just move the canner a tad if it needs 
it, whereas sometimes finding the right setting on gas/electric stoves 
can sometimes be a real PITA.  The news controls that don't have to be 
in a certain place help with that......

And speaking of wood cookstoves, I went to Ellsworth yesterday to pick 
up a part for a heatstove, and they had a beautiful modern cookstove in 
there from Spain, all black enamel with stainless steel oven and trim, 
absolutely gorgeous; I could have been convinced that it was 
sculpture...Beautiful, beautiful, $4800.  I don't think I've ever, in my 
life before, seen any household item that made me think "I'd just to 
take that home with me" but this thing broke the record.

SJ