What to do with 220+ lbs of produce – Day 2
8:46am
I realized I didn’t actually share what exactly I have in my kitchen in boxes:
peaches: 60lbs
apples: 50lbs
tomatoes: 50lbs
nectarines: 40lbs
pears: 20lbs
220lbs of loveliness. And already aching feet!!
How to deal with apple offal
My husband was right – throwing away apple peels and cores (or even composting them), seems very wasteful. I could have made apple cider vinegar, but decided on apple peel jelly. The only off-putting thing about the recipe is the amount of sugar (7 cups), but a jelly is usually pretty sweet so this ought to work out well.
The pot of stewed peels and cores has been sitting overnight and I’m jumping in, still in my PJs. Wish me luck. I’ll report back.
12:18pm
4 jars of jelly are in the canner, 1 is not going to be processed. As I was filling the jars my mom texted that she never processes her jams and jellies if they’re put piping hot into a hot, sterilized jar. She throws me for a loop – my boiling canner needs something to do, and I am torn because all of the recipes I have read say to process between 5 and 10 minutes.
I ponder this while filling my jars and the first one I filled, put the lid on and screwed the ring on, pops. I text this development to my mom and ask, “So I guess she’s good then?” Mom texts back one word: “Yes!”. Okay!
Still, by the time I finish filling all the jars no more have popped. I decide to process them, as it surely can’t hurt. I’ll label the one I didn’t process, and see the difference.
I like this really pretty pink jelly. I had better – I’ve got at least another box or two of apples to use and there’s going to be lots of peels and cores.
There’s something happening that I didn’t plan on reckoning with: my sweet activities are attracting wasps. I have already overcome my heeby jeebies and squished one. I am feeling brave and all-conquering. I jam, I can, I kill wasps. I am woman, hear me roar!
Next up: nectarines
2pm
Looks like my son is giving me his full cooperation by having a great nap. I’ve been able to make 7 jars of nectarine jam with the addition of cinnamon and ground ginger. The house smells amazing!
I’ll freeze and can the rest of the nectarines next, but first it’s time for my second load of dishes…because of course our dishwasher has crapped out!
5:15pm
My back, my aching back!
I’m done canning the nectarines for now. I can’t believe I have been at this all day and this is all I have to show for my efforts! I mean, there’s lots of work here and lots of goodies, but…I am kind of underwhelmed. Shouldn’t I have run out of jars by now?
I’m going to get my husband to figure out our vacuum sealer and that should take care of the rest of the nectarines. I hope, that is. I have this fear that there’s another box of nectarines among the ones on my kitchen floor.
Wondering if I’ll get anything more than that done tonight or if my husband will try to convince me we should watch a movie instead. I’m rooting for the movie!!
Day tally of injuries to self and others:
burns: a few on my arm
wasp death: 1
Tomorrow: tomato day!
Live like you mean it,
Tamara
PS Uh…there’s another box of nectarines…yay! Yikes!
I’m done for the day too- well maybe not quite if I have to leave my mustard pickle veggies in a brine overnight- then I have a bagful of pickling onions to peel and cucumbers and red pepper to cut up.(A hint for your readers- pour boiling water over pickling onions and allow to cool- makes them easy to peel.) There is something in the back of my mind that tells me that is so but I will have to check. My tally for the day- 20 pints and 3 quarts of peaches. If I wouldn’t have forgotten to get ascorbic acid when I got my groceries this morning there would have been some frozen peaches and fewer canned ones. Your Papa suggested that I just buy more for freezing!! Easy for him to say!! My next-to-do is tomatoes too, and the mustard pickles.
I’m living like I mean it!
Mama
Aha! You let Papa know I will have PUH-LENTY of frozen peaches. And canned peaches. And peach jam. And the same of nectarines. And apples. And pears. WOW! It didn’t look like much but it turns out it’s a whole lot.
And THANK YOU, Mama!! I want to recreate for Finn the feeling I had on the farm during the Fall, when I was helping you get the canning done. I loved it then and I love it now, as I have gone from being the helper to asking others for help. Mostly though, I did it myself today and thought about you through a great part of it!
You ARE living like you mean it!! Well done.
Tam
I forgot to tell you that you make your Mama very proud! Not only are you doing all that work, you are also blogging about it! As we say to Finn,”good job!!”
Mama
I’m jealous! I’m wishing I had fruit trees here in Alberta. I ended up wasting most of my day in the park today.
I wouldn’t have minded relaxing in the park right around 2pm when I was sweaty, sticky and getting buzzed by wasps! There’s still so much to do, but I’m glad I’m doing it, and I’ll be REALLY glad in the winter! If I get your name in the Christmas draw, you know what you’re getting!
And hey, you could always move to BC…hint hint…