At the beginning of this summer, my shelves were almost bare. There are a few jars on the top two shelves that are left over from last year...some pickles, apple pie filling, a few tomatoes, some relish and applesauce.
I'm thoroughly enjoying my small garden this year, but I'm still finding things to can. I bought several baskets of tomatoes for salsa and plain canned tomatoes, my sister gave me some peaches, Jim's cousin has a couple of pear trees that gave more than she needed, and a neighbor also had some extra tomatoes that she didn't want to go to waste.
All of my cucumber plants died, so I didn't make any more pickles this year, but our raspberry bushes are out doing themselves, so I've made several batches of jelly with plans for more. The jars in the front are sour cherry jam, made with cherries from Jenna's violin teacher's tree. I picked them while Jenna had her lesson...
The fun thing about preserving is not only seeing how the shelves fill up, although that's fun...but remembering where everything came from! In years past, most of it came from my garden, but I'm finding it just as rewarding to do it this way...
...and I'm thankful for my friends who have shared in their abundance!
That is one thing I love is you have abundance, and it just came from people who didn't want it to go to waste. I always love looking at canning shelves. I just love seeing work in those jars. It to me is the best feeling of accomplishment like no other. I am so glad you shared all of the wonderful things you have canned.
ReplyDeleteYou are away ahead of me, but I hope to catch up with many pumpkin pies, plus whatever else you do with pumpkins.
ReplyDeleteSo much work, but so worth it! Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteYou have been busy!
ReplyDeleteYes, you've been VERY busy. It does seem to follow after years of sharing an abundance of produce that when you decide to back off on planting, neighbors share their bounty so you can still enjoy fresh garden stuff.
ReplyDeleteThe sour cherry jam sounds wonderful. I love filling the pantry. It all looks great. Wish I had some of those raspberries for wine. I'm using the last of my apple pie filling on a caramel apple pizza for a pot luck. Good thing,since this year's apples are almost ready to pick.
ReplyDeleteJust love this post!
ReplyDeleteNothing beat home~made or home~canned!
Even though we are pretty much empty nesters, I still love canning.
I'll be a canning granny ~~ *grin**.. sittin' on a stool filling jars when I'm in my 90's... Lord willing!
~Have a sweet week.
~K.
Beautiful to look at! Impressed that you eat down your canned goods so thoroughly before you can again.
ReplyDeleteDoes sour cherry jam taste like cherry pie filling? Maybe that's something I will do with my cherries next year. . .