Apple Season is Upon Us

I've been remiss in blogging as I've been busy canning again. There are two canning seasons at my house. Once in August, when all the summer produce is being harvested - tomatoes, peaches, etc. And then again in October when the apples are coming in.

Last week I went to a big fall harvest sale at the local university, which has a great agricultural program. I came home with a half bushel of Roma tomatoes, full bushels of plums and pears, and three bushels of apples.

I got Macintosh for apple sauce and Jonathons for apple rings. After canning 32 quarts of apple sauce, I still had enough Macintoshes for 16 half-pints of apple jelly. It came out great!

The Jonathons have been going fast as the kids have been sneaking them for snacks, but there have been enough for Teen Daughter to dehydrate 8 trays of rings. I hope to finish off the bushel this weekend canning apple rings.

I canned the pears right away as they don't hold up in the shed as nicely as the apples and plums. They get soft quick.

Some of the plums have been converted to plum jelly and plum jam. But I still have about a half bushel left. I may try just canning them whole in syrup.

Over the next week I'll post recipes and the such for the fall harvest season.

In the meantime, I hope that you're all taking advantage of apple picking or whatever is available in your region of the world. Getting out with the kids to pick or shop for fresh produce is both fun and educational - even more so when you preserve that produce to enjoy come winter.