Two More!

 I think these are # 15 & 16!  Above is a photo of strawberry-pineapple jam and below is jalapeno jam

I only have 2 left to make from my original list, but only think I'll get the strawberry made.  the last one would have been jalapeno jelly, but really don't feel like dealing with the peppers again!  Gotta start working on my photos!

Peaches

One of our neighbors gave me a bag full of peaches from his tree. I cut up over 12 cups of peaches! Here's what they started out looking like....not like what you get at the grocery store, but peel them & they were delicious! Of course, I made one batch of peach jam & then treated & frozen the other 8 cups.

Hope to make peach ice cream--one of my favorites in the summer!

Canning...really!

Another comfortable day so after I came home from the fairgrounds I decided to make some jam. I had taken the fruit out of the freezer before I went out so it was ready to be crushed.It takes about double what you need to make the crushed amount ( 8 c. whole makes about 4 c. crushed)

The ingredients: berries, sugar, liquid pectin & a tsp. of butter--that cuts down on the foam--pretty simple.

Got the lids and rings sterilized in hot water......

Mixing it up.....

Essentials for the operation....jar lifter, canning funnel and measuring cup ( used to fill the jars)

I use a steam canner--not approved by the USDA, but I have used one for 15 years & never had a poblem. I never make anything but jams, relishes and pickles. Most anything else you need a pressure canner & I don't have one.

Just about to boil...had to stop taking photos here--everything goes quickly at this point & can't be distracted by the camera!

And then on to the batch of blueberry jam....

Finished product--the blackberry

And the blueberry...are they blue ribbon contenders? I hope so! Will know in a few weeks....

Some Blue Ribbons--the jam won a few!

Thought I would show you a few of the veggies that won 1st places at the fair. Our vegetable & fruit dept. entries were off this year because of the crappy summer we had. here's some beautiful crookneck yellow squashes. Many of these photos will end up in our fair book next year....

The best of show for the whole dept.--a watermelon--we don't have a very long growing season & most melons need a long time to grow....

Giant pumpkin--what can I say--there's a group of guys that are really into that--these can grow up to 50 lbs. a day!

And last but not least, my jams-- I won 8 -1st places, 3-2nd places & 1 3rd prize. Got totally shut out in the Photography, so was pleased to do so well in Canning!

One of my winners--Cherry jam, I think....