When I got word that the black raspberries were ready the boys and I headed south. The boys played with Grandma and Grandpa while my sister and I hit the brush. After 2 hours we had to make ourselves stop picking. When it was all said and done we had picked over 2.5 gallons! I was seriously picking 5 berries in one handful! It was beautiful and awesome!
After sorting out all the bugs and sticks and giving them a good wash I crushed them with my 25 cent garage-sale food mill ;) It took FOREVER, but was worth it!
I made one batch of black raspberry jam, but still had a generous amount of berries left. A few days later we went down to my parent's to get together with family we rarely see. My dad and I took the boys for a 4-wheeler ride. We made the mistake of riding back to the spot where we picked all of the berries. When I saw that there were still quite a few berries on the bushes, I couldn't resist. Jason and I went back and picked another 1/2 gallon of them...just enough to finish off another batch of jam!
After sorting out all the bugs and sticks and giving them a good wash I crushed them with my 25 cent garage-sale food mill ;) It took FOREVER, but was worth it! 
I made one batch of black raspberry jam, but still had a generous amount of berries left. A few days later we went down to my parent's to get together with family we rarely see. My dad and I took the boys for a 4-wheeler ride. We made the mistake of riding back to the spot where we picked all of the berries. When I saw that there were still quite a few berries on the bushes, I couldn't resist. Jason and I went back and picked another 1/2 gallon of them...just enough to finish off another batch of jam! 
Look at that beautiful sight!
This is a picture of the sour cherry jam I put up a few weeks back. Like I said, I've had some great opportunities to 'put food by' for those cold winter days. The fruit for this jam came from my dear friend Missy's yard. We had fun picking them, and eating the results ;)
For those of you who have read this and now think I'm Martha Stewart, please come over to my house and be set straight. This is the first summer in 3 years I haven't either been pregnant or had a newborn, so I'm ALIVE! Also, this is a hobby. While I love the idea of being resourceful and a good steward of what we've been given, I also really really enjoy canning and preserving. I'm not nearly as cool as I just made myself out to be!
2 comments:
LOVE, LOVE , LOVE how you can capture my feelings in such a simple way :) This is also my first summer (in 3 years) not to be pregnant! I have been mowing our yard every week almost (even in super hot days) and doing serious work in my seriously neglected flower bed. It's been awesome! Even though it's hot I'm just so thankful to have this time with my boys (though I'd be happy to be pregnant again)!
I can't wait for peaches to come in season in a couple weeks. Last year we canned about 4 bushels and we are just now on our last jar :). Have to say...it's nice to have something that reminds you of summer even in the coldest days of winter.
Oh Dollie this is GREAT! I for one, think that you are probably more cool and resourceful than you imagine... I'm recalling a time when a fellow intern asked why you brought a shovel along on our camping trip (mind you this was the first time any of us had met), and you replied, "To dig your grave!" - is that memory as vivid for you as it is for me, probably not, but hilarious none the less. I'm so glad you were able to pick the berries, that sort of real work makes every bite of jam all the more rewarding all winter long, enjoy friend :)
Post a Comment