There is a downside to growing and preserving your own food.
*
It's not the time-consuming practice of tilling the soil, planting the seeds, or weeding the garden.
*
It's not the time-consuming business of preparing the fruit or vegetable, chopping or smashing, then heating to the right temps then filling jar after jar of hot ingredients, heating up the kitchen and ending up with rows of preserved foods.
*
It's not the continuous slicing of vegetables or fruits and laying them in neat rows in the dehydrator and then waiting hours for it to dry before starting another batch.
*
That's the fun part!
*
The downside is: You run out of something before you are able to make more and have to *gulp!* buy a supplement from the store and then becoming sincerely disappointed with both the quality and the taste.
*
I canned 57 quarts of applesauce last Fall. The most I've ever canned. I gave away 5 quarts. Left us with 52 quarts. I thought it would have been plenty, but I didn't factor in the amount that Baby would consume when he started on solid foods. Every morning, I mixed applesauce with a bit of oatmeal and fed him that for breakfast. I used up the last quart last week, so I bought a quart from the store.
*
Ugh! Nothing like my thick, cinnamon-flavored applesauce. How can they call that applesauce?! It was watery and runny and more like apple juice with pulp. Even Baby noticed the difference because no matter what I do to the sauce-- add more oatmeal, add cinnamon, add a touch of brown sugar, heat it up, serve it chilled-- he has yet to finish a bowl.
*
This coming apple season, I am aiming for 100 quarts of applesauce!
*
8 comments:
Lol! That was a most poignant thank you from your boy for all your hard work. N3S adored the dried apple chips last year and has since asked every week when are we making some more? I am def making lots more this year! xo
*laughing*... when your boy enters teens, make sure your refrigerator and pantry are fully stocked> ;o)
Dj!! I never looked at it like that! What a sweet way of looking at it-- thanking me for my applesauce by eating it all up! This is why I love your friendship! Thanks friend! :o) xo
Karen-- oh dear! The stories my husband tells me of his teen years and devouring everything in sight... I'm in trouble! lol :o)
Holy cow! 57 QUARTS! I wouldn't even have room to store that many jars, much less the energy to make that much applesauce! Your son's wife will probably never forgive you for this!
Stephanie-- That made me laugh! LOL! I thought it would have been plenty, but between 4 kids and 2 adults, apparently not. Plus, sometimes I use applesauce when I bake. We have a big basement, and there is a cellar, too, though at the moment, I don't use it for my canned goods.
Yeah, I can see it now..."Sorry hon, but your applesauce just doesn't taste like Mom's!" LOL
That's sweet! Maybe you will have to share your recipe....
Good luck with your goal of 100 quarts! You are a braver woman than I.
Smart baby boy you have there. :) Be ready to can 500 Qts by the time he hit his teens ha.
Marijo
Barefoot-- I'll post it during apple season. Won't be too much longer now. With 52 quarts, I planned on a quart a week.. I see now that we eat more than that a week. So 100 would make it almost 2 quarts a week. Seems reasonable when I put it like that, eh? :o)
Marijo-- By the time he hits his teens, I expect him to help!! :o)
Post a Comment