Do I enjoy every part of it? Um, NO. It's full of menial tasks and there are 101 things I'd rather do somedays. But, when I have a proper focus, I know that I am doing important work, and what my husband and I feel is best for our family.
It is during weeks like this past one, that I appreciate all-the-more my heritage of hard-working homemakers. Last Thursday the peaches I had ordered were ready to preserve, so my mom and Nana Ruth came to help. (Thank you Lord, again, for the blessing of living close to our families! After 7 years of living apart, I appreciate it so much more.)
Goodness. What a job! It took us 5 hours to finish the 3 crates (1 1/2 bushel). The result = 44 quart jars. (Well, if you count the 5 jars I forgot to put syrup into before canning. Silly me!)
Natalia was such a willing helper. She put the peaches in the sink so we could wash them, and helped me mix the raw sugar into warm water to make syrup. (What a difference a year makes!)
Grandma and Natalia taking a little rest while Mommy finished up the cooking part.
Waiting for them to pop, pop, POP! :-)
I didn't can any other fruit this summer, just blanched and froze corn, lima beans, and green beans. I may still can some tomato or spaghetti sauce if our transition-back-to-school schedule allows for it. And in late September I'll freeze applesauce.
It sure is a lot of work, but when I open up that jar or container of whatever come January, it'll be satisfying to know where it came from.
5 comments:
Wow - that's so cool!! I'm gradually moving closer to all these things and hoping to be able to do some canning this fall (applesauce as well) and next year start a garden! Where did you order your peaches from? I don't really know how to go about doing it with things that I'm not growing myself.
yum. those peaches look so good. I bet it's so nice to crack those open in the middle of winter.
BTW, got the chicken all cut up and in the freezer. Videos were VERY helpful. I'm saving the carcass for stock. What do you do w/ it?
Kjirstin, I ordered them from a local orchard north of Lancaster.
The variety I use is called Baby Gold Clingstone (you need a special curved knife tool to get the pit out). They don't get mushy like resegular peach would during the canning process. (You wouldn't really want to eat them fresh--kind of for the same reasons most people don't eat Granny Smith apples raw. They're for cooking.)
I'm going to look for a different supplier next year bc they are not cheap! I think my aunt found the kind I use elsewhere for $2 less a crate.
Have fun!
Bri, I sometimes save the carcasses for stock, but I've also given some to a friend for their dogs. And, other times I just throw them out...there's nothing left on them anyway.
I consider myself fairly domestic, but I don't can or freeze anything....except blueberries, but they don't take any prep. Fresh fruit is just too easy to buy year round these days. What a great feeling of accomplishment though.
Post a Comment