Canning Time

 

Canning Time

There's a wondrous smell of spices
in the kitchen,
Most bewitchin';
There are fruits cut into slices
that just set the palate itchin';
And the rattle and the clatter;
And a bunch of kids are hastin'
To the splendid joy of tastin';
it's the fragrant time of year
When fruit-cannin' days are here.

There's a good wife gayly smilin'
And perspirin'
Some, and tirin';
And while jar on jar she's pilin'
I'm a-sittin' here and dreamin'
Of the kettles that are steamin';
And the cares that have been troublin'
All have vanished in the bubblin'.
I am happy that I'm here
At the cannin' time of year.

Lord, I'm sorry for the feller
That is missin'
All the hissin'
Of the juices, red and yeller,
And can never sit and listen
To the rattle and the clatter
Of the sound of spoon on platter.
I am sorry for the single,
For they miss the thrill and tingle
Of the spendid time of year
When the cannin' days are here.

--Edgar Guest

Well this little poem certainly sums it all up. I have been busy making strawberry jam out of our garden berries. To think that I was going to pull up the plants and start over. I guess that the gardening advice you read about isn't always correct. We've had these strawberry plants in place for at least five years and they are still going strong. We've been enjoying them in jam, on ice cream, cereal, and fresh out of the garden.

I also bought raspberries from our local fruit stand to make some jam and to freeze. We've frozen lots of sweet cherries as well. Next are the blueberries. We will have quite a few this year, but I'll most likely need to buy some to freeze. There just aren't enough to freeze and enjoy fresh.

We are trying to "eat local" as much as possible. That means eating fruit and veggies in season. If we want to enjoy berries on our yogurt or ice cream later in the year, we'll need to pack the freezer!

If you want to learn more about this, check out New American Dream's C3 site. These folks have all sorts of great ideas on how to pare down and