Wednesday, June 1, 2011

"These Buggers are Everywhere!"

Naomi calls from vacation:  You want to pick our strawberries?  We got a gallon on Saturday.
me:  Sure!  We're totally out of strawberry jam.  Thanks!

Well.  It was 90-some degrees by the time we had rounded up enough sun protection and buckets on Memorial Day (this before hitting a store sale for Genevieve's school uniforms for fall, making jam, and going to a cookout).  But Ben looked under the leaves of the strawberry patch and said excitedly, "these buggers are everywhere!"


Genevieve was happily absorbed in getting enough ripe berries for jam - she didn't really eat as she picked. She was very excited about finding the perfectly red strawberries and filled up her little bucket all by herself.

Ben ate a lot.




And he also spent a lot of time watching Brutus Hannibal (thanks, Naomi!), the enormous old koi.


And then I made 5 batches of freezer jam (yield:  20 1.5 c. boxes), stopping to run out for more sugar because I was unprepared for summer preserving.  The tyranny begins!

6 comments:

Tracy said...

Our season is nearing the end. *Sniff*

life in this 1880 farmhouse said...

Our season has not yet begun. Just in blooms this past weekend. That said I am happy not to have to make jam in the heat ...yet!

Jennifer Jo said...

Why don't you fill your containers all the way?

And now. I must gird my loins and head out into the blazing sun to pick MY berries. I'm so thankful for our patch. (Can't you tell?)

Margo said...

JJ, that is an excellent question. They don't need that much headspace!

A said...

And here with a title like that, I thought this was going to be post on Stink Bugs! (remembering now that your house seems to be immune and am trying to stay calm and be happy for you xoxo) Lovely to be in jam season.

Polly said...

That is so hilarious....ben's comment. Because it's true-they hide under the leaves and then you realize those buggers ARE everywhere!

What is your method for freezer jam? I've only ever made the canned jam. Too late for us for strawberries this year, but we hope to plant some of our own next year for harvesting in 2013. So no rush on that jam recipe ;) but I'd love to add it to my freezer repertoire.