Canning Peaches

The wasps were destroying the peaches so earlier this week, we picked the remaining peaches. They weren’t quite ripe but we knew they would ripen in the house. Yesterday morning, I knew I had to get busy with getting those canned, or they were going to get too ripe.

I kept thinking about my options – If I canned then, that’s more weight to have to move and less time to pack but I couldn’t let those good peaches sit there and rot to . . so I picked through and took the ones that were ready and canned those.

It was after dark before I remembered that the last batch was still sitting outside (I do the canning outside). I canned 20 pints and then cooked down the liquid that was left over and will use that as peach syrup.

I filled the freeze dryer with peaches and this morning I’m hoping to get two batches of peach jam made. Hopefully, that will use up all the peaches. There’s one more tree left to get ripe.

Even though I do the canning outside, the prep work – peeling, cutting, heating in the syrup – takes place inside so once the jars were filled and the last batch was in the canner, I had to scrub the stove and mop the floor. I wish I’d had the energy to get the jam made yesterday because I’ll have to do all that again after the jam is finished.

It’s worth it I suppose – to know that I didn’t let the peaches we grew go to waste.

As far as packing yesterday, I got all the bags of started knitting projects packed. Didn’t quite finish packing the bedroom but I’ll for sure get that done today.