Although we have just got a few ripe tomatoes, I’m starting in canning in earnest. I already did my batch of rhubarb conserve, then on Friday, I went out and picked all of our ripe jalapeños to start Cowboy Candy. They were nice and big with thick walls. Just perfect! I sat on the front porch and sliced them up. When I mixed up the syrup, I made a triple batch as I use lots of it in my various relishes, Cowgirl Candy (sweet peppers in the syrup), Vaquero and Gaucho Relishes. All in all, I ended up with 16 half pints of Cowboy Candy and eight pints of leftover syrup. And that’s just a start!
As our chokecherries are almost ripe and the Cedar Waxwings have preyed on all of our other wild berries so far, I decided to pick them a little unripe to beat the birds. I cheated and sat in the old golf cart to pick the low branches as standing in one spot for a long time really kills my knees and hips. It worked great and I ended up with an ice cream bucket full.
I already have a full case and more of chokecherry jelly, so I’d decided to make chokecherry syrup. I use this on pancakes and waffles plus drizzled over cheesecake and ice cream. As I use only cane sugar, I can skip the GMO beet sugar and high fructose corn syrup (also GMO) in commercial syrups. Nothing but sugar and juice. I juiced the chokecherries in my Mehu Liisa steam juicer and ended up with nine cups of juice. To each 3 cups of juice, I added 4¼ cups of sugar, making a big batch. I boiled it for 10 minutes at a rolling boil, ladled it into pint jars and water bathed it for 10 minutes. I had a little left and it was perfect. Just thick enough.
I’ve got lots of chokecherries out there to pick. What a blessing that is! — Jackie
Sitting on the golf cart worked so well! I picked from two bushes that were loaded then found another one I couldn’t get the golf cart to. So, Will picked that one yesterday. He says there are lots more too. Yea! Lots of syrup!!
Those chokeberries look wonderful. Yes, work smarter, not harder. I can no long pick up a canner full of canned goods off the stove. So I take the can goods out, and dipper out the water so I can dry and put up my canner when ready. It takes a little more time; but it gets the job done. I do the same with my water bath. Plus, I cant fill it up at the sink and take to the stove; so I put it on the stove and dipper my water into it until the correct height. I am getting weaker as I get older but manage to do what I like to do.
Yep, that’s what I do too. I fill my big stockpot up half full, carry that to the stove, then fill it the rest of the way, when needed, one saucepan at a time. Like you, I dip water out too. As we reach points where we can’t do a job as “usual” when we were younger, we just have to figure out ways to do the same job smarter.
Look at you working smarter, not harder, lol. It’s something we all need to think about to preserve our bodies. Those peppers and chokecherries look great. Harvest is indeed beginning. Hope your weather holds for you. Sending prayers for a blessed week.
Thanks so much! Will went out and picked another ice cream pail full yesterday so you know what I’ll be doing today.
That’s a great idea to sit on the golf cart to pick. I too am learning different ways to do things so my back isn’t a problem. That’s what we have to do! The chokecherries and the jalepeno peppers look great!
Take some of the leftover brine from the Cowboy Candy (and a few slices of jalapenos) and dump it over a can of drained pineapple slices. Let it sit overnight in the fridge. Delicious!