Sweet Summer Days & Time Away

Barn Door

On Thursday mornings I sneak away. It's usually just for a couple of hours and I usually just go to the local coffee shop, but it is so nice. There are no more Bunco nights, Girls Night Outs, or even just dinner with Terri. Our little party of five is together twenty four hours a day, seven days a week and we are usually right here at home. I love it so much and I need to step away as well.

For the first few months here I was only scooting out at nap times and it was just to run to the local store, or the bank, or on quick errands. Never a break, never anything particularly fun. I got weary of it all. So, finally I told Sweetheart I needed time off and I needed to have it regularly and at least once a month.

It hasn't happened every Thursday, but it does more often than not. I feel so decadent and I know from a few comments, people here don't get it.  I know I didn't when a friend blogged about taking a day off each week.  I think it was mostly jealousy.

The coffee shop is the place to be here in town.  I've met all sorts of people from town natives to people considering moving here.  This morning I chatted with a wide range of folks.  Most of the other people are at least twenty years older and that seems normal.  In Denver, I mostly hung out with people in the same stage of life as me:  working women, newlyweds, young families, etc.  Now, I met a few moms of little ones here, but not a lot.  The change of perspectives is good.

Now, I know that I can ask around the coffee shop and find to almost anything I need to know.  It's a kick because everybodys' lives intersect  in one way or another.  Of course, the flip side is that everybody knows your business whether you like it, or not!

This morning my new neighbor dropped into the coffee shop as well.  She just moved in this weekend.  I pulled up a chair for her and introduced her around.  She and I had a few laughs together about being an outsider here.  She, too, is thrown by random people just dropping by with no warning and she knew I'd understand.  I do.  And we exchanged numbers so we can call each other before we drop by.   It all works out.

I just got back inside myself a few minutes ago.  A neighbor said he was done with the raspberries at his place so after the kids went down for naps, I grabbed my basket and went picking.  (Sweetheart is here whenever I'm not.  I'm not leaving the kids alone!)  I was able to pick a few pounds and will get making some jam in a few minutes.

I was able to put up almost nine quarts of cherries the other day from gleaning someone's trees and hope to get back for more before it's too late.  I'd like to dry some for winter baking and the cherry pie I baked yesterday had only one piece left when I got up this morning.  Guess Sweetheart liked it!

So, I'm going to rub some Healing Balm all over my scratches from berry picking and get canning.  It's an overcast day here and I was sprinkled on a bit walking back.  That's nice as it won't feel too hot in here.  The cherries ended up sugar-packed and frozen because it was just too hot the other day to want to run the canner.

What are you doing these August days?

links 2 enjoy

A Daily Portion's post on giftedness, fullness, emptiness, and so much more. 

Chatting at the Sky's thoughts on making art when you don't have time.

And for some fun in the kitchen check out Punk Domestics. It's not your Grandmother's preserves!

Need some summer inspiration for crafting with kids?  Check out The Crafty Crow.   I love how many things are book-based!

And this link for living the life you want in the midst of the life you have.

BTW-  I've been seeing Pin Interest stuff around.  Anyone using it?  Feedback?

Oh!  Found this-Homemade Magic Shell--and will be trying it soon!

The Fun Begins

Planning & Canning

We're planning our garden this year while staring at a lot of snow.  We're going to start this year with an area for my flowers and herbs and a separate area for vegetables and fruits.  The herb and flower area will be designed for beauty and function.  Read:  no rows. 

I use fresh herbs as much as possible and dry tons for cooking through the rest of the year.  How glad I am that I dried so much two summers ago!  I am down to the last half pint of dried summer savory which is my favorite herb that I use in everything. 

I am planning in addition to my regular culinary herbs I usually grow to add in a variety of medicinal herbs as well.  In all my reading I've discovered that many of the herbs I've enjoyed for cooking also have medicinal properties as well.  It will be nice to have my own supply of things for the various body products I make.

There is another area close to the house that had been used for the family garden many years ago.  It will be perfect for growing our veggies as it is a perfect rectangle, which will make Sweetheart happy.  He likes straight lines and rows a lot. 

I am planning the food gardens with canning in mind.  I used a jar of home-canned tomatoes the other day for making some soup.  It's truly amazing the difference in taste.  I hope to have a lot of tomato plants this year.  We've still got some jars of jams, fruit butters and pickles.  Lots of pickles!  Can't seem to get through the pickled squash though.  It's beautiful, but it's not our favorite thing.  Knowing this will help with planning how much of some things to grow. 

We've got a small orchard of what we believe are apple trees and hope to put in some strawberry beds and plant other berry bushes.  We may add in some new fruit trees as well, but that may or may not happen this year.  We have lots of dreams and finally the space.  We'll see what happens!

I am also planning on making my own field of wildflowers a ways back near the grove of trees.  I want a place where they'll be free to just thrive and reseed and not have to worry about them being in the way of our farming plans as we expand in the next few years. 

Dreaming and making lists is a nice way to spend a bit of this otherwise dreary day.  We've had a week of grey days with more to come.  Some snow, some rain, and lots of clouds have filled our days.  I am more than ready for sunshine and spring!

What fun it was to come across this giveaway for free Tattler canning lids from Maple Valley Farm!  Are any of you using these lids?  I've seen great reviews.  The lids are the flat discs for canning.  What makes these lids special is that they are made in the USA, BPA-free and totally reusable a bunch of times.  You still use the regular rings that you can reuse each year, but now you don't have to constantly buy more of the discs. I want to try them, but would like even more to try before I buy.  :)  pick me! pick me!

Maple Valley Farm is home to a family of eight that bought a 40+ acres Amish farm and live completely off-grid.  That's quite an accomplishment!  I enjoy reading their various posts and have followed some of their adventures for years.  They are even running a Bed & Breakfast so you can join them in living an off-grid life for a bit if your travels take you to Michigan.  Then you can go back home and have electricity!

I know, our new life is a big change for us and may be a bit odd to others.  I couldn't have even imagined a life like theirs a few years ago.  Who knows where we'll end up?  I never thought I'd be living on a farm and making orders for chickens and roosters and geese and turkeys.  I never thought I'd be trying to buy some goats and even a pig.  I am proud of this family following their dreams.  That said, I like power and think we'll go awhile like this before thinking about pulling the plug!   ;)

Kitchen Notes

I am still processing apples & tomatoes.
I am planning on making some homemade Vicks Vaporub stuff today. Hopefully, I get some Body Butters done today as well.
Then, there's bread & apple strudel for tomorrow--unless we get snowed under completely. It's looking pretty white out there.
There is a Puffy Pancake with Apples baking in the oven and it is time to make a pot of tea or coffee. Maybe both.
What are you hoping to do today?
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Links: Puffy Pancake Recipe & Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe

Alive & Cookin'

I've been so busy in the kitchen I haven't had time for writing. When I'm not cooking, I'm trying to spend as much time as I can out with the boys and friends. Our weather had been rather up and down here in Denver with a storm currently rolling in.

The cooler temperature is welcome today as I've been canning Tomato Sauce, Apple Cakes in Jars, & Apple Butter. I've also got a giant pot of Squash-Apple Soup simmering on the stove and a pork roast roasting along with the rest of the twelve pound Hubbard Squash in the oven. I've got the windows open so we don't roast as well!

Yesterday we enjoyed a lovely day at the Denver Zoo. I figured we had better go then while the weather was fine. We had a nice time visiting with all the animals.
This weekend Sweetheart & I disappeared to Berthoud, Colorado for our anniversary get away a few months late. We had a lovely room at the Berthoud Inn and the best dinner ever at the Retro Bistro. It is totally worth the drive for just the dinner! (Thanks Grandma! And stop by tomorrow for some soup and your milk, if you want.)

I used up a bunch of tomatoes on Sunday mixing them up with onions, roasted red peppers, carrots and a bunch of spices for a yummy soup. More tomatoes are ripening everyday. I think we'll end up using all 80 pounds up. I even have some tomatoes in the dehydrator right now. We'll see how those work out.

In fact, I was in the garden yesterday and found more tomatoes, carrots and another zucchini that had been hiding. I hope clean up the garden and prep in all for winter this week and weekend. I've got a list of chores to do outside both front & back.

I am not a big magazine person, but I do love "Victoria", and "MaryJane's Farm" magazines. I recently discovered "Hobby Farm Home" and hope to subscribe soon. We don't farm, but the ideas inside it are practical for us with the way we live and our gardening.

The current issue contains the recipe for Apple Cake in a Jar and a comprehensive list of ideas for shutting down the garden for winter while prepping for spring. It also has some fun homemade Christmas gift ideas and a tutorial for pie crusts. All sorts of things I love!

Well, enjoy your day! Time to go stir the soup.

Apple Recipes

Curried Apple Chutney

2 qts (about 16 medium) apples- peeled, cored and chopped

2 lbs seedless raisin

4 cups brown sugar

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped sweet red pepper

3 Tbl mustard seed

2 Tbl ginger

2 tsp allspice

2 tsp curry powder

2 tsp salt

2 hot red peppers, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

4 cups vinegar

Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Simmer until thick, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Ladle hot chutney into hot jars, leaving ¼ inch head space. Remove air bubbles. Adjust two-piece caps. Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner. Adjust time for altitude.

Applesauce

2 1/2-31/2 pounds of apples per quart

water

sugar, if desired

Wash apple, core, peel and slice or quarter apples. Cook apples until soft in a large covered saucepan with just enough water to prevent sticking. Puree using a food processor or food mill. Return apple pulp to saucepan. Add sugar to taste, if desired. Feel free to add spices as desired such as cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg or cloves. Bring applesauce to a boil (212 F) stirring to prevent sticking. Maintain temperature at a boil while filling jars. Ladle hot sauce into hot jars, leaving ½ inch head space. Remove air bubbles. Adjust caps. Process pints and quarts for 20 minutes in a boiling-water canner. Adjust time for altitude. (Denver add 10 minutes.)

I bought another 80 pounds of apples for about 120 lbs total. I'm working away and thought I'd share a few recipes for you all. I did run all the cores through the cider press and made a pint of cider. Not a lot of yield for so much stuff. Be back in a few days!
Recipes from the Ball Blue Book of Canning. Can't recommend this book enough! It has everything you need to learning canning. Remember-last year was the first time I had ever canned anything. I never learned and no one I knew canned. So if I can, can, you can.

Zippy!

That's the best way to describe the Curried Apple Chutney I made yesterday. It's the most amazing recipe of apples, raisin, brown sugar, curry and other spices. But to keep it from being basically a baked apple, it also has vinegar, onion, and sweet peppers. Oh my! I am so looking forward to trying more than just a sample spoon.

The original recipe called for hot pepper and garlic which I omitted due to personal preferences here. Oddly enough the yield should have been five pints, but I barely had two and a half pints. Canning recipes and yields can be so odd. I also put up another five and a half quarts of pickles from the garden cucumbers. Cause we needed more pickles. If they was ever an emergency situation, my family would be surviving on bread and jam and pickles. Of course, we'd be able to eat these for weeks on end!

I got a pot of applesauce simmering on the stove waiting to be finishing and put into the jars. I kept all the cores and peels I've been making and am planning on running them all through the press I have. It'll all probably only amount to one cup of juice and a big mess, but since I have everything on hand I might as well try and it will mean they'll be almost no waste. I suppose I could keep the leftovers from making cider for cider vinegar. Maybe next year.

I did try to run the peels and cores through the mill I was given so as to make apple butter from the leftovers. That was just an exercise in frustration and mess just like the peach experiment. Glad it was free. I'll probably try it again with tomatoes since they are soft, but if that doesn't work it will need to find a new home. Grumble.

It certainly feels like autumn around here! The spice applesauce simmering on the stove, the pumpkin spice waffles cooking in the waffles iron, & the pumpkin candle burning. Even my coffee tastes like autumn as I mixed together brown sugar, cinnamon and cloves and tucked them into a jar on the counter for oatmeal mornings.

I discovered the mix is delightful in my coffee as well. Much cheaper than a Pumpkin Spice Latte and easier to get around here. Though I do love those lattes! It must be a family thing as my sister in California mentioned having one the other day--over ice. By mixing the spices in the sugar I am able to stir it all evenly into the coffee without the spices just floating on the top as they do when I just sprinkle them in.

I've still got another twenty pounds of apples on hand. I'll probably make more of everything and some apple butter as well. So yummy! I do love all the foods that are in season this time of year, don't you?

I used up the rest of the pureed squash I had frozen last fall for the waffles this morning and I'm down to one Hubbard squash from last year's garden. It's a big one, but I think I'll need to try and find some more. They are such good keepers and I use them in any recipe that calls for pumpkins or squashes. I didn't get any planted this year, but will make it a priority for next year's garden.

Well, I need to go and stir the applesauce and scrub down the cider press as I've not used it before. I'll let you know how it goes!

Sunshine & Apples

The sun returned & disappeared throughout the day, but I am just glad for the amount we had! The boys and I took a bit of a country drive. It was wonderfully sunny and we enjoyed seeing some of the leaves changing.

We went into a little town, Hygiene, which was in fact quite clean. We checked out the little store and stopped in the local cafe. I bought a cup of coffee and the ladies there let the boys each pick out a gourd from a box a neighbor had brought it. I bought some potatoes from an unmanned roadside stand just tucking my money in the jar and taking the potatoes. Love this life!

We then went to Sweetheart's office and the four of us enjoyed a picnic lunch. The weather turned and it got rather chilly by the time we were done. On the drive home we stopped at the farm and picked up our first box of apples.

While the boys napped I filled the two dehydrators up with apple slices and took my book, The Ministry of Motherhood, by Sally Clarkson out onto the porch with my cup of vanilla tea. I was happily reading and rocking and sipping my tea when the clouds rolled back in. I read for a few minutes, but since my book was getting wet from the rain I decided to come back in.

Now the boys are up and playing with their blocks and gourds and dinner is cooking in the background. I'm planning to do a bit more prep work on the apples and getting ready for canning tomorrow. I'm going to make applesauce and maybe more apple chips. I recently read about making apple butter from milling the cores and peelings. Since I was given a food mill last month I'm planning on trying this idea. I've also been longing to try a apple-ginger-curry chutney recipe so I'm going to try to squeeze that in as well. We'll just see how far the apples go.

I've also got to do something with the cucumbers from the garden so maybe I'll get a batch of pickles in as well. The kitchen will see plenty of use tomorrow! I think I'll plan to do something in the crockpot as well to make sure we have dinner.

My, what a difference a little sunshine can make. Have a wonderful rest of the day.

The Week

Good Morning! Here's a little sunshine for your day. Hope it's a lovely one.It's been a wonderful week with a lot of work that's kept me off the computer. I've been working out here. The Sunflowers are utterly insane and taking over the universe. I've been harvesting beans and cucumbers and now tomatoes. So exciting for this city girl!
We went to the farm twice. We picked raspberries and I made jam while the boys napped.

I brought some of those lovely flowers inside. Aren't they wonderful in the morning light?

In other big news, Dumpling turned this many:

Here he is opening presents and receiving birthday calls. It was a fun celebration with Grandma over and calls from the rest of the family. Chocolate cake and ice cream and presents helped, too.
Today I am in the kitchen making (more) pickles. The garden has really taken off and I've been collecting produce right and left. It's amazing. We had our first sweet pea bloom and the first morning glories. Better late than never!

We are hoping the good weather will hold as the watermelons, cantaloupe and other melons are trying so hard to ripen. Not to mention the ears of corn which have appeared. We had the first of the grapes the other evening. They are a small, first year crop, but wonderful! The herbs are everywhere and tucked into everything. It's truly a delight.

Look at what I collected yesterday afternoon! The beans are cleaned, cut, blanched and nestled into the freezer. My, that takes awhile to do! But I read while I worked which makes everything better. I also hauled in the biggest zucchinis yet. Fifteen inches long and four and a half pounders they are. More grating and freezing and bread coming up!

The pickles are just about done. This afternoon will be spent with my peaches. I love peaches. I'm planning on peaches slices and some peach jam. If I have enough peaches and time I'll tackle some peach butter. Everyone loved that last year.

In between, I've been sewing and pulling weeds and playing a lot. Besides our two trips to the farm, we spent a wonderful morning at the zoo. Our weather is quite fine out and so we all long to be out as much as possible.

My, but this is a random post! Maybe it's the time of year. The timer just went off. The six and a half quarts of pickles are ready now. Gotta go!

On another important note: PLEASE consider signing up for this. September 11th is this Friday and I know there are a lot of names left.

eek!

If you don't hear from me in the next week--bring a shovel! I think I'm about to be buried under canning jars which seem to be multiplying likes rabbits in my cabinets.

Bounty

Why do we call it canning when it's all in jars? Just wondering.

Yesterday's work: Strawberry Jam from strawberries we picked on Thursday at the farm. I think we'll go back on Tuesday for raspberries. The beans are from the farm as well and made into Dilly Beans. The Zucchini Pickles are from our garden as are the Beet Pickles.

I've gone through gallons of vinegar and bags of sugar this year.

The beets are interesting. We didn't eat beets growing up and I didn't even now what to do with them. But the seed packet was only 20 cents so I figured I had nothing to lose. They've grown so well. I threw some in potatoes packs on the grill, but didn't really notice a flavor. My mom like pickles beets so I did that. I found one small one in the bottom of the pan I missed during peeling the beets for pickling yesterday, so I just ate it plain. Again, not much flavor.

I've got more still growing and I only planted half the packet of seeds. The rest will either be made into chips, or beet wine. Not a bad haul for 10 cents, I'd say.

And the zucchini? Let's just say that twelve plants provide plenty for everyone. I hauled in a basketful and shared them with my friends the other night. Everyone who comes over leaves with some and I've baked, stuffed, fried, and dried them. I made up four loaves of zucchini bread the other day for the freezer as well. I've got a recipe for Zucchini Soup to try out as well.

Pumpkin and I went out before breakfast this morning so he could pick more beans. They are Italian Rose beans, a type to eat fresh (for breakfast if you desire) or you can just let them dry on the vine for winter. I'm planning to do both. I thought I'd planted regular green beans, but I haven't seen them.

I'm doing all I can to stay out of the kitchen today. Leftovers and baking from earlier in the week are keeping us fed. Two jars of the Dilly Beans didn't seal, so we'll have some of them for dinner tonight . Those are the only jars this year that didn't seal. Not bad for all the canning I've done.

What are you putting up for winter?

Some Pictures to Share

Even though we got a late start, things are really growing!

This picture was the beginning of July just after we laid the sod:
Here's what it looks like today:
Here are my zucchini plants. I picked a few today and made oven "fried" zucchini. Yum!

The sunflowers were only a few feet tall then, but my how they grown!
We've been enjoying beautiful salad filled with colorful greens and edible flowers.
I've been busy canning I was just blessed with over thirty boxes of canning jars. My friend's mother no longer cans and wanted them to go to a good home. Looks like I'll be busy!

I've got herbs growing everywhere and we add them to everything. I love all the flavors they add. Along the back are some of my tomato plants and my scarlet runner beans. We enjoyed our first tomato last night for dinner.


Nasturtiums are beautiful and delicious in salads and sandwiches. They have a nice peppery flavor. I ate a whole one once. Now I just scatter the petals. Too hot!


The pickling cucumbers I planted are really taking off! Looks like I'll be making more pickles in a few weeks! Good thing I've got plenty of jars now.

From the baby's garden~

Cosmos

Forget-Me-Nots

Beauty in the quiet places. It's a wonderful corner of life and color.

I just barely fit however between the abundance of sunflowers taking over. I'm enjoying their smiling faces, but I'll not plant so many there next year. I'm planning on making a scarecrow this weekend as the birds are threatening to take over. I made one years ago for someone else and loved it.

We're off to the farm this morning. It's a cloudy and cooler day. I'm hoping we'll have a good rain this afternoon. I've got some (!) weeds to pull and they're the type that need soft ground to remove. It feels more like a day in September than August. I'm longing for the cinnamon and spices and molasses days ahead.

**
I love the comments from yesterday's post on Elizabeth. It's one of those things you either just get, or don't! I finished reading Wives and Daughters yesterday and am working on North and South. Of course, I'm also reading Les Miserables so I've got a lot of amazing reading ahead! What are you reading?

Friday Food Fun!

I just picked up a bushel of pickling cucumbers and a bushel of zucchini and Italian squash. Last year I put up a bushel of pickles and we've had to ration them out. We're down to one unopened jar left. I did give quite a few years away, something that did not thrill Sweetheart once he had eaten them and loved them. I'm planning on making at least two bushels this year. This way we'll have enough and I'll still have plenty to share.

I love zucchini. We'll eat some fresh, some stuffed and I may even fry some this weekend on my free day. I make zucchini bread, too. This year though I'm trying something new: zucchini chips. Inspired by Prairie Girl I've got two huge bowls worth soaking as I type. I picked up a second dehydrator this winter at the thrift store, so I'll be filling those trays right up. I bought it after stretching out making apple chips over too many days last Autumn. I'd rather do all my prep work at once in huge quantities. This way I can do twice as much in the same amount of time overall.

The half bushel of Italian squash was an impulse buy. I'll add it to dinners and searched for some new recipes. I also sliced one up to try it in chips as well. For $2.50 for a half bushel, I couldn't resist!

I'm hoping the chips work well. Since I make most of our meals and snacks from scratch, I'd like to have some new ideas and flavors. We like chips and I'd rather make them than buy them. I do have some ranch seasoning left over from life before and I have some bbq rub seasoning that I think will work well. I'll leave some plain and some just salted. I'll let you know how it goes.

Since last year was my first attempt at preserving food, I've learned a lot! I am amazed at how many things one can make for oneself. The cost is usually less and the end product so much better. It might not all be uniform and perfect looking, but I've moved beyond perfection as a life goal. It's made life a lot easier for me and everyone who is near me. :)

Well, Sweetheart is back in town after being gone for too long. So, hopefully, I'll be able to post new pictures soon and get my computer back to normal. Where was he, you ask? Why, at a tech conference of course. Isn't that the way it always goes?

Hello Friends

My, but it has been a busy week!

We had family in town and had such a wonderful time with them all. The boys got to play with their cousins and I even got some special time with just my sister. (Thanks, Mom!)

I also got to have two friends over for visits in between all the family time. One is a dear friend from high school that I had not seen since part way through college. The other friend and I used to teach kindergarten together before I had Pumpkin. She brought a former student from that year with her. Hard to believe those little kindergartners are now heading into the fifth grade.

In the midst of it all, I've had computer issues going on. The set up I have now works fine, but isn't comfortable to use at all. So, until it can all be fixed next week, I'll probably be off the computer most of the time. I am also unable to upload pictures until then which is a real bummer.

I just wanted to check in and say hello to everyone. Hope your summer is as delightful as mine!

I have had so much fun this last week, but I am also glad to have life return to our slower pace this week. I'm hoping to do more canning and work on things inside around the house as the schedule is so much lighter.

I was able to put up Red Currant Jam this week from the five pounds of currants we picked at the farm. This week I'm hoping to pick cucumbers for pickles. We've only one jar unopened from last year left, and we've been rationing them. I plan to do more this year. My guys all love pickled things!

Have a blessed week.

In a Pickle?

It's summer, so it must be time to can! Too bad it doesn't happen in the dead of winter when I want to heat up the kitchen, but you've gotta work with what you've got. And what I've got right now is a bunch of watermelon rind soaking in brine for pickles.

I just started canning last year and loved it, so this year I'm branching out planning to try all sorts of new things. Since our weather has been so crazy, a lot of the veggies and fruit that are normally ripening now are still running behind. I've done the two batches of Strawberry Jam, but that's it so far.

The reason I'm posting this though is because I've been asked a lot about canning since I started last year. I found this site and just had to share it! Wow. It's got tutorials, videos and all sorts of recipes and fun ideas. It's by the Ball/Kerr Company which has been around forever and seems to be the source for all things canning. I've loved their Ball Blue Book of Canning. It's where I got all my recipes from last year and I was happy with every one. (It's also only $5.95 at Walmart/Target stores this time of year.)

Snag some of these lids, too if you can. You don't process the food with them because they are just plastic, but they allow you to store all sorts of other things and foods in your jars and are easier than the two-piece lids. I use mine all the time.

Remember~If I can, anyone can. :)

Canning & Preserving

Rhonda at Down to Earth is hostessing a discussion on canning foods. I decided to join simply to encourage others to begin canning. I figure that if I can learn to can, anyone can!


Canning was added to the list of things I wanted to learn as Sweetheart and I decided we needed to simplify our lives last year. By simplifying, I do not mean making things easier, but making things ourselves. It's actually been a lot more work, but it has also been more rewarding than I could have imagined! (If you are interested in learning more about what we've been learning and doing, you may search by the labels "Canning, Simple Living, and Simplifying" at the bottom of posts.)


We live in a regular subdivision on the outskirts of Denver. As this was all farmland not many years ago, we are blessed to have a few farms close at hand where we may buy produce in the summer and fall. Some things, I simply bought when they were on sale at the grocery store. I discovered that all the big sales came when certain foods were at their peak~ like peaches & apples & corn. I bought extremely large (to me) amounts.


Some things I bought all at once, like a bushel of cucumbers to pickle. Other things I bought over a few weeks time like 75 pounds of peaches and 80 pounds of apples. This allowed me to pace myself better on the canning. I felt a bit swamped under the bushels of cucumbers and tomatoes that I thought I should space out the other things as I could so they wouldn't rot in my basement while I tried to finish each thing.


I started out early in the year by checking Craig's List for used canning supplies. Don't wait until the middle of summer as it will be hard to find things. Off season shopping is better and people seemed to be more willing to negotiate. I loaded up boxes of jars and just waited until it was time.


When it became our canning season, I bought new lids and seals as well as two things I love: a tool kit and a cookbook from the Ball Jar company. The canning tool kit contained a funnel, a magnet on a handle to lift the metal lids out of the hot water, a jar lifter, and a handy little plastic thing that had measurements marked on it so that you can make sure you have the right amount of headspace in each jar and for getting the air bubbles out.


The cookbook was the Ball Blue Book of Preserving. I found a new paperback copy just at Target. It's worth its weight in gold. It contained everything I needed to learn both water bath and pressure canning including adjustments for our high altitude. I can't say enough good things about this book! For a beginner, it is invaluable.


I did purchase a canning pressure cooker new as well. I used it for several recipes and it was easy! You can can a lot with just a big stockpot though, so don't let not having a pressure canner stop you. I figured it will last for years and be worth the investment.


I was also blessed with several boxes of jars and odd and ends from my stepmother who canned years ago and stopped. My advice--take anything anyone will give you! And, if you are lucky enough to find someone to show you how, take them up on the offer. I plan to invite some friends over this year if they are interested so we can work and learn together. I don't know anyone in my everyday life that cans, so maybe I can get some friends interested.


I'm not posting here how to do specific recipes, or give minute instructions. My goal is simply to try and encourage others to begin canning and preserving. A whole new world has opened up to me now! I've even used my dehydrator a ton more because the cookbook also had lots of ideas for drying and freezing foods besides just all the great canning recipes.

Right now, I've got jars in my fridge of green beans, pickles, tomato sauce, jams, fruit butters, jellies, applesauce and more that we are enjoying everyday. I've got more jars tucked away still unopened in the pantry and basement. I'm trying to stretch things out until spring and summer.

Opening a fresh jar of peaches on a grey February day is like opening a jar of sunshine! It's nice to know that I'm feeding my family foods picked and processed as simply as possible without unnecessary ingredients or odd chemicals preservatives. And yes, we can taste the difference!

I'm looking forward to doing so much more this year. Won't you join me?

What I've Been Up To...

Only about 10 more pounds to get through. 80 pounds of apples makes a lot of applesauce, spiced apples, apple butter, apple chips, an apple cake, apple pie, apple tart and just apples to eat.

In between apples I've played with these guys.

I cooked more than apples. I had my Bunco group over the other night for dinner. I made Janna's Curry Chicken. Dinner for 12 (plus my family) is a lot to pull together.

The apple desserts were for that. The cake was a dismal failure. It was delicious, but fell completely apart when I tried to get it out of the pan. Glad I made it the night before Bunco. That way I had time to make the tart and the pie.

Somebody started walking on his own.


We made what will be one of the last trips to the farm today.

Pumpkin played in the straw bale maze.

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Look closely in the bucket.

Last weekend we went on a family adventure.

Daddy had fun, too.

Pumpkin loves throwing rocks in water.

Here's me and my little guy.

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I've started probably 10 different posts in this week off.

Hopefully, I'll get them finished and polished up to post soon.

Figured I'd better post something now though, or everyone might give up on me and never return.

40 Pounds of Apples Later...

This handy gadget is sooo wonderful. Sweetheart bought it for me when I was about 1/3 of the way through the apples. It sure made the rest go faster!

I made spiced apple slices, spiced apple butter, spiced and plain applesauce, dried apples, and an apple crisp. Today I ordered two more boxes of apples from the farm for later this week. Even though the canning is a lot of work, I sure do like the results!

Out of the Pits--And a Winner!

Peach pits, that is! There is an end in sight. I am working on a couple of peach pies this morning and that will finish up the peaches. My 35+ pounds of peaches have made: 8 1/2 pint jars of preserves, 8 pints of spiced peach butter, 7 pints of peach slices, 3 quarts of spiced slices, 1 huge bag of slices that I froze, two peach pies, and two happy little boys full of peaches for snacks.

Sorry to anyone who may have checked back to see who won the drawing. We had made plans last week to go to the zoo yesterday with some friends and I was so busy canning the rest of the time I didn't get to post. I gave Sweetheart the range of numbers of comments and had him pick. Congratulations to Kelli of There's No Place Like Home. Kelli has actually been reading and commenting from the beginning of this blog. She's full of wonderful ideas and encouragement, so be sure to stop by and visit her. You'll be glad you did!

Thank you all for your sweet comments and notes. I wish I could have a cup of tea with each one of you. Don't worry--I won't wait for another 400 posts before I do another drawing! Now, I've got to go finish those pies....