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amberfocusTomorrow I am going to write. No ifs, ands, or buts. It's really hard to get back into the swing of it again. I was doing so well before T got his concussion. Necessarily I have had to spend more time with him and check on him more frequently when he's out of my sight, which doesn't lead to long, uninterupted hours of writing time on the computer.
Add to that that I have been gardening, weather permitting, going out to the house to work in the yard which was vastly overgrown, and canning, which is hot, sweaty work and doesn't particularly make me want to do anything but veg out afterwards, I just generally have been avoiding even opening a Word document. Well, it's open, but... I am, however, almost out of fruit to can, so one batch tomorrow should do it until about a week from now, when the raspberries will be really ripe, if the rain doesn't ruin them first. There are probably enough to pick a pint's worth, but not enough to make jam yet.
Today I canned 5 more pints of organic strawberry jam and then I canned 9 12 ounce jars of organic grape jelly. Since it is nigh on impossible to find organic grape jelly anywhere, and it is completely impossible to find grape jelly without corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup in it, I am very pleased with myself. I won't make any more grape jelly this year, I don't think. I am the only one who eats it, so those 9 jars should last me about 2 years, since I eat other kinds like strawberry, blackberry, brambleberry, apricot, blueberry, and huckleberry, too. Grape is just my favorite.
I probably won't make too much raspberry jam. Maybe one batch. I don't like raspberries. I mean, I will eat them if they are mixed in with other berries, but I won't seek them out. Shame, too, since we have so many growing in the back yard. Chris likes raspberries, but not raspberry jam, so a few jars for the kids and maybe a couple to give away at Christmas should suffice. I will save some though in the freezer though to make brambleberry jam, as the blackberries override the flavor of the raspberries, and that everyone likes.
So plans for future canning, one batch of raspberry jam, one batch of brambleberry jam, 3 batches of blackberry jam, 5 batches of blueberry jam (and lots and lots of frozen blueberries) and if the grape vines produce this year, I might actually make more grape jelly after all. They have blossoms on them so it is possible they might make enough for jam, but I have a feeling it will be just enough for table grapes. I also plan to make Italian prune jelly as well as canning and possibly drying Italian prunes. Nothing tastes like them and the tree is loaded for bear.
Somewhere during blueberry and prune season I should have a boatload of tomatoes, pickling cucumbers, and green beans to can. I want to put up enough green beans for the year since my favorite brand has started using BPA in their can liners. Which would be 104 quarts or 208 pints, since we eat them at least twice a week. I also am hoping that my tomato plants will produce enough to make sauce for the entire year. There I will need about 75 quarts of sauce or 150 pints and then also about 30 pints of diced tomatoes.
Then there will be a batch of applesauce in half-pint jars for Chris who is the only one who eats it and T is allergic to apples. I haven't been out to the old house to check, but if we have pears I will put up pears as well and maybe some pear sauce and definitely a couple of pear pies. And I'd like to can some nectarines, but only if I can find a not too expensive organic source. I need about 20 pounds to make it worth my effort.
I am really, really glad my mother has a ton of empty jars in her basement. I've already cleaned out Goodwill of canning jars and a couple of garage sales. There are three more thrift shops I want to check, too. Otherwise it's $10 for a set of 12 jars with lids and rings. I don't need anymore rings and lids you can easily buy on their own, so if I can find quality jars for .20 each, that's what I'm going to do. Canning shouldn't be expensive (except the lids, and even those are fairly reasonable). I need to keep an eye out for estate sales, too. You can often get boxes of jars there. I'm not picky, Ball, Kerr, Mason, I'll take them all.
Add to that that I have been gardening, weather permitting, going out to the house to work in the yard which was vastly overgrown, and canning, which is hot, sweaty work and doesn't particularly make me want to do anything but veg out afterwards, I just generally have been avoiding even opening a Word document. Well, it's open, but... I am, however, almost out of fruit to can, so one batch tomorrow should do it until about a week from now, when the raspberries will be really ripe, if the rain doesn't ruin them first. There are probably enough to pick a pint's worth, but not enough to make jam yet.
Today I canned 5 more pints of organic strawberry jam and then I canned 9 12 ounce jars of organic grape jelly. Since it is nigh on impossible to find organic grape jelly anywhere, and it is completely impossible to find grape jelly without corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup in it, I am very pleased with myself. I won't make any more grape jelly this year, I don't think. I am the only one who eats it, so those 9 jars should last me about 2 years, since I eat other kinds like strawberry, blackberry, brambleberry, apricot, blueberry, and huckleberry, too. Grape is just my favorite.
I probably won't make too much raspberry jam. Maybe one batch. I don't like raspberries. I mean, I will eat them if they are mixed in with other berries, but I won't seek them out. Shame, too, since we have so many growing in the back yard. Chris likes raspberries, but not raspberry jam, so a few jars for the kids and maybe a couple to give away at Christmas should suffice. I will save some though in the freezer though to make brambleberry jam, as the blackberries override the flavor of the raspberries, and that everyone likes.
So plans for future canning, one batch of raspberry jam, one batch of brambleberry jam, 3 batches of blackberry jam, 5 batches of blueberry jam (and lots and lots of frozen blueberries) and if the grape vines produce this year, I might actually make more grape jelly after all. They have blossoms on them so it is possible they might make enough for jam, but I have a feeling it will be just enough for table grapes. I also plan to make Italian prune jelly as well as canning and possibly drying Italian prunes. Nothing tastes like them and the tree is loaded for bear.
Somewhere during blueberry and prune season I should have a boatload of tomatoes, pickling cucumbers, and green beans to can. I want to put up enough green beans for the year since my favorite brand has started using BPA in their can liners. Which would be 104 quarts or 208 pints, since we eat them at least twice a week. I also am hoping that my tomato plants will produce enough to make sauce for the entire year. There I will need about 75 quarts of sauce or 150 pints and then also about 30 pints of diced tomatoes.
Then there will be a batch of applesauce in half-pint jars for Chris who is the only one who eats it and T is allergic to apples. I haven't been out to the old house to check, but if we have pears I will put up pears as well and maybe some pear sauce and definitely a couple of pear pies. And I'd like to can some nectarines, but only if I can find a not too expensive organic source. I need about 20 pounds to make it worth my effort.
I am really, really glad my mother has a ton of empty jars in her basement. I've already cleaned out Goodwill of canning jars and a couple of garage sales. There are three more thrift shops I want to check, too. Otherwise it's $10 for a set of 12 jars with lids and rings. I don't need anymore rings and lids you can easily buy on their own, so if I can find quality jars for .20 each, that's what I'm going to do. Canning shouldn't be expensive (except the lids, and even those are fairly reasonable). I need to keep an eye out for estate sales, too. You can often get boxes of jars there. I'm not picky, Ball, Kerr, Mason, I'll take them all.
