I have always loved home-canned fruits and vegetables. My mom would can beans, peaches and pears when I was a kid, but I was more of a hindrance than a help with the process. When I was Brooke's age, I would eat about every third pear she would peal. I kept her company but certainly prolonged the canning process for her. I have fond memories of "snapping beans" with my grandma and grandpa as we prepared them for canning and when I stopped eating all the pears, my favorite part became adding food coloring to the jars.
So, three years ago I decided to take the plunge and try doing it myself. We had just moved to Washington so instead of giving it a try when my mom lived 20 minutes away, I waited until I was 728 miles away. I knew enough about the process to be nervous about messing it up, so I kept my poor mom on the phone during most of the process. But together, we did it and that 1st cold and very icy winter was much better because of that fruit.
So, I have continued to can each year and my girls love it now too. I ordered my pears this year and checked them every day after they arrived to see if it was "time"... on Thursday they seemed to be at least 2 days away from being ready, but by the next day they decided that our Friday night would consist of canning pears. Since Brooke is still only at the "eating" level of participation, I was grateful that I could start the process after she was in bed for the night. Katelyn on the other hand has graduated from the eating level of participation to being our official Food Color Adder. It wasn't what I would pick to do on a Friday night, but they all sealed so it was worth it.
My peaches arrived the next morning and I was so glad when they were definitely not ready to can. To my utter delight they waited until my mom arrived on Tuesday. So on Wednesday morning, Katelyn went to school, Brooke went down for a nap, and my mom and I got them done in just a few hours. Not only did they also turn out great, but we had so much fun and it was so much better to have her here with me than to call her 2 dozen times during the process wishing she was here. Thanks mom for being such a great and patient teacher! Sorry that I ask the same questions every year :)
5 comments:
That's a beautiful sight! I've never seen food coloring in bottled pears before, but it sure makes them pretty! Of course, peaches never need any food coloring to make them beautiful. I tried doing my own bottling last year and the year before, and something always goes wrong so they are never as pretty as my mom's jars, which should be entered in the state fair. You're lucky to be developing the talent, both in yourself and your kids!
By the way, if you haven't entered my art drawing yet, today's the last day before I pick a winner!
Green (and pink, and orange) with jealousy.
I too remember canning. Growing up my mom gardened and canned all the fruits and veg to get us through the winter. We had a small orchard (8 apple trees, 1 pear tree, 1 peach tree and 1 cherry tree) I remember all those fruits plus green beans, and tons of canned tomatoes...
I challenge you to plant a peach tree! It takes a couple of years before they really bear fruit but it is fantastic when they finally do! I promise you sticky girls and plenty left over for canning :)
food coloring!!! how fun.
I don't can...I just make good friends with people that do so that I can enjoy the fruits of their labors:)
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