Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Is it worth it?


6 jars of cinnamon peach jam
12 quarts of tomato sauce
10 pints of chopped tomatoes
8 pints of tomato soup
20 pints of corn
8 pints of green beans

And I've only just started.

I like preserving my own food. The peach jam is even sugar free just sweetened with apple juice and honey. It tastes so fresh. Yes, it is time consuming and no, I'm  pretty sure there is no money saved doing this. But I find it satisfying to know exactly what's in my food and where it came from. Pretty much all of our food comes from the local farmers market directly from the people who grow it. Of, course there is tomatozilla out in the back garden so a few of those tomatoes were grown by us.

But is it worth it to put up your own food? I seriously question this sometimes. Especially when I've spent hours on my feet over a hot kettle of water. But then I think that if I had a choice between Mac Donalds or a really fine restaraunt
(somebody else is paying for this :-), I'd probably choose the fine restaraunt. That's kind of how I feel about store bought canned tomatoes. They are the Maccers of my world.

But the really, very most special worthwhile of this is sharing this food with my family. My son and his family will be here this weekend and I know absolutely that homemade peach jam will be a hit and that jars of preserves will go home with them. I know my son will recall counting of "pops" as jar lids seal. The licking of spoons when jam is finished. Preserving food is family tradition and it is full of wonderful memories. Pretty worthwhile just for that.

Oh you were wondering about beads? There is a kiln chockers full of beads firing right now.



39 beads
20 acorns
23 owls
25 birds
32 pendants

I like counting things.

12 comments:

Vintajia Adornments said...

Bottled fruit - YUMMMMMMO
Absolutely worth it.

Judy said...

I love having a garden but then I have to pick it,clean it and cook it....lots of work! But I do agree you can't get better food no matter what the price. Each night at dinner I had to proclaim to our son that what he was eating was from our garden. My garden is just about past, still have some tomatoes though and still have yet to dig the sweet potatoes.

Kathy Van Kleeck said...

Yes, absolutely worth it. I am so jealous! I haven't canned anything in years. My most recent efforts were slow roasting tomatoes with olive oil, fresh rosemary and sea salt, then bagging them up in quart ziplocs for the freezer. Makes the most amazing sauce combined with homemade pesto, sauteed onions and a bit of red wine!

Oh man ... making myself hungry!

And your beads look so happy! I love your kiln furniture!

windrock studio said...

You are such a lucky ~ and busy ~ lady! It all sounds wonderful ... and the beads look awesome, too!

sharon said...

There is nothing like home grown food, and canning it is the best. Yes, lots of work but worth every minute. We have canned our strawberry jam and salsa for so long now I can't eat store bought anymore. I have became a canning snob! BUT, you are right, the memories are the best!

Barbara Lewis said...

LOL! I like counting things too! Looks like you've been really productive in a lot of ways. I should tell you about the story of the time I decided to can beets ... but I think you probably know the outcome of that story!

Marsha of Marsha Neal Studio said...

I can almost smell and taste that peach jam (my grandma - Pennsylvania Dutch - always had preserves and jams that were home made at her house). I could eat jam and butter on toast at any time of the day or night… (I so shouldn't be thinking about it this late at night - lol).

You going to try to snap an after picture before unloading the kiln? Would love to see it (I'm nosey like that, but rarely remember the camera before unloading most of mine ;)

Enjoy your family time this weekend! Yay for long weekends!!!

Erin Siegel said...

Umm...Okay, you've got me drooling over here! Wow, that peach jam looks and sounds so delish. I would love to get me a jar a that! And the beads don't look bad either, Leann.

steufel said...

Hmmm, yummie - could I get something of the peach jam:-) ?

TesoriTrovati said...

I wish I was your neighbor. Then I might get to sample some of the yummy jam on toast when I came over for a surprise coffee chat.
;-)
Enjoy the day!
Erin

Anonymous said...

Jam for you too! It is always worth it to hear that pop when the lids seal. It's one of my favorite sounds.

Laura Twiford said...

I've just decided that we live too far apart to have so much in common! I love to can too, didn't get to do any this summer though because of everything that has gone on. I am most disappointed about not getting the figs before they fell to the ground. I love to make jam with the kids, did it with my kids and now the grandkids, they get such a feeling of accomplishment when they can eat what they made! I invested in a pressure canner 2 years ago and canned more asparagus than a person ever should have to but they were delish! Have fun, you inspire me!