I have snatches of the most beautiful memories ... as a child visiting my grandparents in Oregon during summer break, going out and picking berries at one of those pick-em-yourself places and then bringing them back to grandma's house for her to cook up some homemade jam! Ah, blissful memories full of sunlight and sweet smells and tastes. I remember that picking the berries was the easy part and the jam part looked extremely complicated.I have had the idea, though, for several years now, that I was going to teach myself to do some canning. I want to be just like my Grandma Brown! Last year I put up peaches, which turned out just fine by the way, and this year I am determinedly on to jam.
A couple of weeks ago I took the kids up to Payson to pick some blackberries. Those happy shining moments of yesteryear playing through my mind, and making new memories picking berries with my babies. Not quite the same experience as that of my youth but happy nonetheless.
Ethan loved picking berries - and then eating them. He wouldn't let me take the bucket from him, he carried it the whole time. He would put a few in, take a few out.
Marley couldn't understand what the big deal was. She picked all the berries that looked good to her. Most were ripe enough. She ate her share as well, notice her shorts' zipper is down, her tummy was getting too full of berries!
It turned out that the easier part was making the jam. In the end, we picked about two buckets full, 8 pounds of blackberries (plus one upset stomach for Ethan). They were $2 per pound, so I paid $16 in berries (plus a $2 tip for the girl who helped us and for all the ones that came home with us but that didn't get into the bucket) ... that made about 20 jars of homemade delicious blackberry jam! If you get a jar from me, it's probably not the sweetest blackberry jam you ever tasted considering not ALL of them were as ripe as the probably should be ... but it was made with love!
A couple of weeks ago I took the kids up to Payson to pick some blackberries. Those happy shining moments of yesteryear playing through my mind, and making new memories picking berries with my babies. Not quite the same experience as that of my youth but happy nonetheless.
Ethan loved picking berries - and then eating them. He wouldn't let me take the bucket from him, he carried it the whole time. He would put a few in, take a few out.
Marley couldn't understand what the big deal was. She picked all the berries that looked good to her. Most were ripe enough. She ate her share as well, notice her shorts' zipper is down, her tummy was getting too full of berries!
It turned out that the easier part was making the jam. In the end, we picked about two buckets full, 8 pounds of blackberries (plus one upset stomach for Ethan). They were $2 per pound, so I paid $16 in berries (plus a $2 tip for the girl who helped us and for all the ones that came home with us but that didn't get into the bucket) ... that made about 20 jars of homemade delicious blackberry jam! If you get a jar from me, it's probably not the sweetest blackberry jam you ever tasted considering not ALL of them were as ripe as the probably should be ... but it was made with love! Pretty good deal, I'd say. And some pretty special memories of my very own.
Thank you, Grandma Brown, for your tips and advice! We love you!!!
6 comments:
Melissa...you are awesome. Does a week go by that you don't do something fabulous with your kids? I've got to try a little harder. Really though, it's so cool that you make things so fun for them. You and Scott both. Great parents.
I love homemade jam! Save some for me to try on my toast at Thanksgiving! Have you tried freezer jam? It's even easier than the cooked kind and tastes super fresh!
It is so yummy, Melissa. What a great time with your kids. I so enjoyed visiting with you the other day . . . .
Love the pictures. As always my grandchildren are so cute
Ooooh-I like your new layout.
You are awesome. MMMM. I love homemade jam. Made two batches of strawberry this year and two batches of peach!
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