Strawberry Jam

I love strawberries and so does the whole family. But sadly they are expensive to buy in large amounts to make jam with, so we just eat them. But the other day I went to produce day. OK, I feel I need to stop and explain for those that don't know what produce day is. Some of the ladies I know pick up produce from the market that they can't sell. Out of date and such. Most of the veggies and fruit are still good. Then these ladies open there homes or churches to friends, family and to the public to take what ever they want. Then the left overs go to farms for the pigs.  It is a big help some weeks for us and some times we really score. This was one of our biggest scores. When I showed up there was so many pints of strawberries. So I grab a banana box of strawberries and ran. When I got home and counted, I had 23 pints. WOW!!!!

Is that not a wonderful site. So a sorting and cutting I went. Jam Jam and more Jam was on the agenda. After about an hour I had 12 or 13 pounds of cut up strawberries.

Then off to jam. I used 20 cups of my little red beauties and it made 5 quarts of soooo good strawberry jam. That amount would have made more but I cut the sugar amount in half, but the taste is so much better. Not as sugary and more of the strawberry flavor. Did I say it was so yummy, I think I did, but it bares repeating. It was yummy.

Aren't they gorgeous. But, there is a sad part to this love story. While processing my jars, one broke. A whole quart gone, never to be seen from again, no topping warm toast or drizzling over vanilla ice cream. No mixing it up with oatmeal or just out of the jar on it's own. As a tear falls from my eye, I reflect on the quarts shorted life and try to remember the good times we had together. Oh, sorry I got lost there for a second. Any oh, the good news is I still have about 15 to 20 cups left so I will be jamming those really soon, before they get eaten.

Garden Update

The garden is looking wonderful this year, I am so excited. We are getting lots of stuff from it. And soon I will have lot of tomatoes. Big thanks to Julie for all her help.

Here is our pumpkins and Winter Squash. I have one very big white pumpkin and at least 3 winter squashes. There are some Long pie pumpkins coming in as well.

Here are the peppers and rows of lettuces. The lettuces is cool, you cut it and it grows back. I love that, we have had lots of fresh lettuce to eat and give away.

In the back you can see my beans. They are called rattle snake beans, they are purple and green. I cant wait to see them. The empty space was for the sugar snap peas. There are only four planets that came in late. But now they are looking good.

Here Is the egg plant, cauliflower and  Brussels sprouts. Surrounded by tomatoes.

Yellow Pear tomatoes.

Some harvested cucumbers, yellow squash, peppers, golden beats and onions. Yummy!!!