We busted our little hineys today, first picking four flats of strawberries, then working all afternoon to make jam and syrup.
The kids set up stations - the stemming station, the mashing station and the stirring station, then they rotated with each batch. It was a great idea.
The stirring station had a stool at it - so it was of course the favored spot. Except the ladeling station, which was my station. And I wasn't giving it up to anyone. I don't want any sticky jam running down the sides of my containers.
For anyone who has not made jam because it seems too hard, let me tell you about a wonderful new-ish product that makes it so much easier than it used to be. I've always been partial to freezer jam, because I think it tastes fresher. And now, Sure-Jel makes a product that requires next to no work. You mix the pectin with the sugar, pour in 4 cups of mashed berries and stir for three minutes. Pour into your containers and let them set for 30 minutes. Voila! You have jam. Granted, stemming and mashing over thirty pounds of strawberries is no small task, but this stuff sure makes it a lot easier than it used to be. And it's SO yummy.
The kids did get weary by the end. My back was aching for sure, and I never made it to the stirring station to sit on the stool - I just went between washing and stemming and ladeling the whole time. I kept telling the kids what troopers they were and reminding them how great it would be to have fresh strawberry jam in January...
At one point, Savannah said "I wish Daddy were here so he could help..."
I replied, "I don't think Daddy would be helping if he were here."
To which she said, "Jesus would help."
"Yes," I said. "Jesus would help."
Kyler joined the conversation:
"No, I think Jesus would just stand there speaking godly wisdom, like,"
he mustered up his best Jesus-sounding voice and continued,
"Why dost though work so hard cutting all those strawberries when thou could just go to the store and buy strawberry jam?"
It was good for a nice long laugh from all of us.
When they were getting really tired and whiney, I tried to push them to the end,
"Come on guys - you've done such a good job. Let's finish well."
Kyler asked, "Is that from the bible?"
"Yes," I answered.
"Shoot."
*****
It's done now. We all smell like strawberries. But we've got 11 nice big containers of jam and two of syrup. And that's a great feeling.
Yay for strawberries and hard workers and Sure-Jel and freezers.
Yay for June!
The kids set up stations - the stemming station, the mashing station and the stirring station, then they rotated with each batch. It was a great idea.
The stirring station had a stool at it - so it was of course the favored spot. Except the ladeling station, which was my station. And I wasn't giving it up to anyone. I don't want any sticky jam running down the sides of my containers.
For anyone who has not made jam because it seems too hard, let me tell you about a wonderful new-ish product that makes it so much easier than it used to be. I've always been partial to freezer jam, because I think it tastes fresher. And now, Sure-Jel makes a product that requires next to no work. You mix the pectin with the sugar, pour in 4 cups of mashed berries and stir for three minutes. Pour into your containers and let them set for 30 minutes. Voila! You have jam. Granted, stemming and mashing over thirty pounds of strawberries is no small task, but this stuff sure makes it a lot easier than it used to be. And it's SO yummy.
The kids did get weary by the end. My back was aching for sure, and I never made it to the stirring station to sit on the stool - I just went between washing and stemming and ladeling the whole time. I kept telling the kids what troopers they were and reminding them how great it would be to have fresh strawberry jam in January...
At one point, Savannah said "I wish Daddy were here so he could help..."
I replied, "I don't think Daddy would be helping if he were here."
To which she said, "Jesus would help."
"Yes," I said. "Jesus would help."
Kyler joined the conversation:
"No, I think Jesus would just stand there speaking godly wisdom, like,"
he mustered up his best Jesus-sounding voice and continued,
"Why dost though work so hard cutting all those strawberries when thou could just go to the store and buy strawberry jam?"
It was good for a nice long laugh from all of us.
When they were getting really tired and whiney, I tried to push them to the end,
"Come on guys - you've done such a good job. Let's finish well."
Kyler asked, "Is that from the bible?"
"Yes," I answered.
"Shoot."
*****
It's done now. We all smell like strawberries. But we've got 11 nice big containers of jam and two of syrup. And that's a great feeling.
Yay for strawberries and hard workers and Sure-Jel and freezers.
Yay for June!
The conversations with your kids cracked me up!!
ReplyDeleteYou are a good Mom. Don't know if I'd brave 30 pounds of strawberries with just me and the kids. Hats off to you!!
I'm with Ethan. I think Jesus would just buy the jam from the store. That's what I do!
ReplyDelete