I remember it well--fall was time to can and freeze.
I remember snapping beans, blanching tomatoes, grinding applesauce, peeling peaches and pears, and even once I remember canning fruit cocktail (that was an adventure we never repeated, if I remember correctly). Sticky floors, boiling syrup, bubbling pots, and beautiful bottles lining the counters. Mom enlisted her army, and we helped (I think we helped).
I can a few times a year, but I've always hesitated to include my kids. It's too messy. It's too annoying. It's easier to just do it myself. This year, I decided that they needed to have the joyful experience that is canning peaches.
They each had their assigned tasks: Hyrum was Official peach mover--from the counter where I'd sorted them to the island where we were working. Micah was official peach splitter and pitter. Lily was Official Assistant peach peeler and slicer.
One Saturday we did 14 quarts, and the next Saturday we did 13 quarts. So little complaining. So little arguing. They laughed and joked and helped and cooperated. It was heaven with a sticky floor.
My pantry shelf now glows with their peachy sweetness, and I already have teachers' Christmas gifts, made by me and my little monkeys.
And the peaches? The peaches are just a bonus. I just wish I'd made this a yearly tradition for the last--22 years.
Linking up to Anti-Procrastination Tuesday.
I remember snapping beans, blanching tomatoes, grinding applesauce, peeling peaches and pears, and even once I remember canning fruit cocktail (that was an adventure we never repeated, if I remember correctly). Sticky floors, boiling syrup, bubbling pots, and beautiful bottles lining the counters. Mom enlisted her army, and we helped (I think we helped).
I can a few times a year, but I've always hesitated to include my kids. It's too messy. It's too annoying. It's easier to just do it myself. This year, I decided that they needed to have the joyful experience that is canning peaches.
And the peaches? The peaches are just a bonus. I just wish I'd made this a yearly tradition for the last--22 years.
Linking up to Anti-Procrastination Tuesday.
Oh yum! There is nothing better than home preserved peaches. We are in spring mode here and looking forward to the summer fruit season - oh the selection, esp. if we travel to central Otago (our province) where the orchards are full of choice from Dec/Jan onward. Although as we are currently being battered by a wintery southerly blast those days seem far away! Thanks for giving me hope! Cath
ReplyDeleteI didn't have one decent peach this summer. Where did you find them this time of year? My mom canned till the cows came home, but I have never had the courage to try it myself. You are awesome!
ReplyDeleteDana
You are brave!....and someday your children will thank you!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great family accomplishment!
ReplyDelete=)
The peaches look so pretty in the jars. . .I grew up on homecanned, peaches, nothing better!
ReplyDeleteI love, love your sunflowers on your island, btw!
i still can't trust my teen boys w/knives. (deep sigh)
ReplyDeletebut i know what you meant...sometimes it's just easier to do it ourselves....i might just enlist my girls to help me this time around!
My kids always help,and it's the best! Question---why didn't you blanch the peaches & just slide the skin off? Isn't it a pain to peel them all by hand? Just curious--wondering if I've been missing something! By the way, love the new Hale shirt Lily is sporting, very cool.
ReplyDeleteYes, we did fruit cocktail lots of years in a row. So yummy with fresh fruit in an orange juice syrup and frozen until needed. Hmmmmm... you only helped once? Oh, you must have been in school. :)
ReplyDeleteMusic to my ears. I really enjoy canning and canning peaches is one of my favorites. Yes, sticky mess and all.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe how many you did. That's a lot of peaches girl.
Where did you get the peaches for canning? They look delicious!
ReplyDeleteThe jars of golden goodness look so beautiful! How lovely to have them.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could can peaches.We didn't eat one peach this year. They were hard as a rock so we didn't buy them.~Ames
ReplyDeletei canned applesauce this year! loved it:) hoping we do it every year. i've heard peaches are the best though.
ReplyDeleteI remember doing this too. With grape juice and applesauce and frozen corn.
ReplyDeleteSigh....someday. Someday.
I canned outside this year on my cache cooker. Sticky outside.
ReplyDeleteI did fruit cocktail this year for the first time too. It was a LOT of work.
I bet you love seeing beautiful jars on the shelves. Your teachers will love them.
you should have blanched your peaches instead of peeling them....so much easier!! :)
ReplyDeleteWow you are ambitious! But goodness what a teaching experience for the kids...and tons of fun to boot. Now I REALLY want some peaches:)
ReplyDeletehave a happy day
funny I was just thinking of your giveaway from last year...wasn't it peaches??;)
Oh, the glorious peaches. I was pleasantly surprised at how well my kids helped on our peach canning adventure, too!
ReplyDeleteThat's quite a lot of peaches you have there! I just love the assembly line peach canning you have going there. I tried to tell Jason that we need to have several more kids so that we can do assembly line tasks too. All he did was give me a "you-must-be-insane" look :)
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