Feelin' Peachy

Last Thursday, Mary, Ronda, Rusty, Alex and I went out to Sauvie Island and picked peaches. Over 400 pounds of sweet, juicy Veterans peaches. What did we do with that many peaches, you ask? Well, we ate some (delicious made into a pie, or just sliced with vanilla ice cream!), we gave some away, and we canned the rest. You see, every year, Mary cans this special variety of peach. And, since Mary's home-canned peaches are among Rusty's favorite foods, I asked her to teach me how to make them.

Even after eating some of the peaches and giving some away, there were still a lot of peaches left to can! So, Mary and I called in the troops. Pictured below are Alex and me with my friend Chalon, also a dedicated home canner, and in the background, Mary and her long-time friend Judy.

The peaches had to be peeled, then sliced or halved, then packed into jars. After that, we poured syrup over them, capped the jars, and put them into the canner for a 25-minute hot water bath. With two canners going at once, the kitchen heated up quick! The old adage that many hands make light work certainly held true in this case, though, and we enjoyed some sweet fellowship while we peached!

At final count, we had no less than 49 quart jars of peaches! That should keep Rusty happy for awhile, dontcha think? We also made several batches of peach jam and peach syrup (can't wait to try it on pancakes!). Home canning really is a lost art in these days of packaged and processed everything. I'm glad I learned how to do it, and I certainly feel like a domestic diva after this week! In all honesty, though, I don't care if I don't see another peach for a long, long time!