Mid-Century Home Canning & Preservation Bundle (5) — Sunset Home Canning (1975), Ball Blue Book (1969), USDA Guides | Cookbooks & Culinary History

A practical, display-worthy set for anyone who loves pantry projects and vintage kitchen know-how. This home canning & food preservation bundle brings together the classic Ball Blue Book (Edition 28, 1969), Sunset’s Home Canning (1975 first printing), and three cooperative extension/USDA booklets on freezing and vegetables—plus a well-used USDA Family Fare guide with the kind of penciled notes collectors prize. Photo-verified with honest condition notes below.

Bundle Overview

• Theme: Home canning, freezing, vegetables, family meal management
• Included: 5 vintage booklets (English)
• Era: 1960s–1970s
• GENRE: Cookbooks & Culinary History; Food Preservation
• Why this bundle: Pairs the two pillars (Ball + Sunset) with period government guides for technique, safety, and everyday recipes.

Quick Specs

• Item Type: Vintage book/pamphlet bundle
• Largest Size: Home Canning (Sunset), approx. 11 × 8 in, 96 pp; noticeable cover wear
• GENRE: Cookbooks & Culinary History; Home Canning & Preserving
• Other Sizes/Pages:

  1. Ball Blue Book, Edition 28 (1969), 9 × 6 in, 100 pp

  2. Home Freezing of Fruits and Vegetables (USDA, May 1965 Revised), 9 × 6 in, 48 pp, original 20¢ price noted

  3. Vegetables (Michigan State University Cooperative Extension), 9 × 6 in, 26 pp

  4. Family Fare: Food Management & Recipes (U.S. Department of Agriculture), 9 × 6 in, 96 pp; handwritten recipes/notes on rear and interior stains

• Edition & Features

1. Sunset Home Canning — First Printing March 1975 (Lane Publishing, Menlo Park, CA)
2. Ball Blue Book — Edition 28, copyright 1969 (Ball Brothers Co., Muncie, IN)
3. USDA/MSU bulletins as issued

Illustrations/Extras: Period charts, step-by-step photos (jelly section), vegetable prep charts, freezing tables; collector-loved marginal recipe notes in Family Fare.

Condition Overall Grade: Good (set)

Highlights: Complete set; clean interiors overall; bindings sound; terrific mid-century kitchen graphics; practical reference value.
Noted Flaws: General edge/corner wear to wraps; Sunset Home Canning shows heavier cover/edge wear; Family Fare with stains/handling wear and handwritten recipes/notations on back; typical age toning; light waviness/handling to the thinner pamphlets.
See all photos; sold as pictured.

Condition Grade Key
Near Fine: minimal wear; tight; clean.
Very Good: light wear; clean text; minor flaws.
Good: noticeable wear; sound reading copy; some marks.
Fair: heavy wear; complete but worn; priced accordingly.

Disclaimer; All items are vintage and may show signs of age, wear, or use consistent with their history. Photos show the exact condition of each piece—please review them carefully, as they are part of the description. While I do my best to capture colors accurately, your monitor or device screen may display colors slightly differently from the actual item.

Please Note:
These pieces come from estate collections and have been surface cleaned. You may wish to perform additional cleaning depending on your preference.
We pack each order with care to ensure your purchase arrives safely. If you have any questions or would like more photos before buying, please feel free to ask.

About Reading Vintage: At Reading Vintage, I curate unique, well-loved books and vintage collectibles for collectors and curious minds alike.