Pickin'

Ahhh, summer.........the thing I love most about this time of year is heading to the orchards with the kids and picking boatloads of fruit!  I can remember going with my mother as a little girl.  Sometimes, it would be so awfully hot in July and I would just want to go home.  But after one taste of those canned blueberries in January, I knew it was worth it!   It seems like you wait and wait for spring to arrive, then June is here before you know it, starting the strawberry season.  Thankfully, blueberries have a longer season, usually starting in July and going into August.   We are fortunate to have a farm in the area with summer and fall raspberries-what a treat in September!   And don't forget those delicious peaches!  We usually get bushels of 'seconds' to freeze or make preserves with.  Lastly, and probably my favorite fruit to pick, apples!   Sweet smelling, crisp and juicy apples!  They're probably the easiest fruit to pick and you can do so much with them.
    I've been hitting the orchards every year since we've been married.  I think last year was the first time I actually missed both strawberries and apples.  I wanted to cry!  Thankfully, I had a few freezer bags of my apple pies left from '09.  They actually keep really well.  So this year, no matter how busy we were, I wasn't going to miss strawberries!  We picked about 35 pounds a week ago.  I was able to put up 13 strawberry-rhubarb pies and freeze a few gallon bags for future use.  What would possess me to do something so insane the day before we went camping?  One word.....WINTER!  I am so thankful and feel so blessed to be able to have this delicious fruit all winter long.  We actually picked another 25 pounds yesterday.  It really is so much cheaper than the stores and tastes so much better too!  I have to say, as sad as it makes me to see the kids grow up so fast , they really are a huge help picking!   With 9 of us, we'll be able to clear out a row in no time!   This is something they've all done since birth, starting with my oldest son......if they're too young to pick, they're in the stroller, looking cute for the picture!

 What a joy to hear their excitement the other day as we donned our grungiest play clothes (to kneel in the strawberry patch), and leave with our ice cream pails!
    I thought it would be fun to post some of our pictures from previous years, links to some of our favorite recipes and hopefully some helpful  tips for canning and preserving.  Have fun!