For 3 days I worked on putting up 64 lbs of peaches. Last year I did 32 lbs of peaches in one day but my Mother-in-law and Sister-in-law helped me out for my first canning experience. This year I did it by myself several hours each day till I worked my way through all the beautiful plump peaches.
The kitchen was turned into canning central. Once I worked out my groove and routine the process went fairly quickly.
Nathan snapped this photo of me peeling and slicing peaches to freeze for smoothies and cobblers.
Things I love about canning:
1. Nibbling on the delicious produce while I peel and cut.
2. Smelling the lucious aromas as the jams boil and simmer; licking the spoon after I fill the jars isn't bad either.
3. The soothing little rumble and tinkle of the filled jars boiling in the water bath.
4. All the finished jars filling up my cupboards!
And the product of my labors!
2 batches peach jam
1 batch raspberry peach jam
21 quarts (3 batches) of canned peaches
I have eaten canned peaches my whole life. My Grandmothers and Great-Grandmothers always canned bottles of fruit. I loved hiding in their walk-in-pantries, snacking on cookies/crackers and staring at the shelves lined with jars of fruits and vegetables. And when we had a peach tree of our own or when we could snag large amounts of produce, my Mom would bottle up jars of peaches too. But even if we didn't bottle our own, Grandma always sent us home with a case so we never went without. The first several years of my married life I purchased canned peaches at the store. I had forgotten the difference in taste between the store bought canned peaches and home bottled peaches. I don't think I can ever go back to store bought. Now that my cupboard is full of the next years supply of peaches I can rest at ease.
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