Putting summer in a jar!

Today was one of those PERFECT summer days! There was a nice breeze, the sun was shining and the humidity was down! There were tons of beautiful puffy clouds in the sky and the air smelled so... well at my house like a hint of pig! Anyway, I kept busy today putting up the strawberries the kids and I picked yesterday. We came home with 28 pounds of yummy berries. I made canned strawberry jam for the first time. In the past I have made freezer jam, but I am trying to conserve freezer space for the afore mentioned pigs! I used Sure Gel liquid pectin. I just followed the easy directions that came with the package. I made 4 batches. YUMMY! I would like to make a batch without using pectin.... they didn't have pectin "back in the day" and I know LOTS of Grandmas made fantastic jams. I have found excellent directions here. I have some berries growing in the garden and will try it with them.

I also prepared 6 quarts of strawberries for the freezer. I will use them for strawberry pies. As I was taking these bags of berries out to the freezer (in the barn) I was thanking God for such a beautiful day... I LOVE summer! I jokingly told God I wish I could "can a jar of summer" to get out in the middle of winter. Later as I looked at the pretty jars of strawberry jam I realized God had answered that funny prayer... I do have 28 "jars of summer" ready for the long winter months. Every time I open one of these jars I can remember the fun we had picking the strawberries, the beautiful day I put them up and the laughter shared in the kitchen! God is GOOD and he cares about everything!!!!

Have a BLESSED day, BE a BLESSING!
Heather

www.simplefamilysupper.com
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