Can it!

A few weeks ago we went strawberry picking at a local u-pick farm. We’re usually at the beach when the picking season starts (that’s another story….) and by the time we get back and go pick the good ones are all gone. So, even though we would have rather been laying out on Newport Beach, we scored some beautiful and delicious berries. We picked a total of 17.5 pounds!!! That’s a whole lot of strawberries! Which resulted in a whole lot of jam. 36 half pint jars, to be exact! I cooked and canned them instead of going the freezer jam route, which I’m so glad I did. I like the flavor better, and I like how it doesn’t take up space in my freezer. Plus, I love looking at all those little jars on my food storage shelves!

I heard through some friends at church about a truck that comes up from Georgia selling peaches. Um, yes please! So Monday I went and bought a 25 lb box of peaches. They are sooooo delicious. I canned 12 pints right away and then made some cobbler and then made 2 batches of jam this evening. They’re pretty much all I’ve been eating the past 3 days.

Aren’t peeled peaches so pretty and shiny???

Canning is definitely not what I would consider fun, but it is very gratifying when it’s all done. Sure I’m freaking hot and sweaty and my back and feet are killing me, but it warms my little heart knowing we’ll have some delicious peaches in the dead of winter when all we we want to do is slit our wrists from being cold and lonely.