It is strawberry season, which arrived a bit earlier than last years season! I always get super excited about berries because that means two things:
1) Fresh berries to eat
2) Canning and making Jam time
It also means it is the beginnings of summer, better weather for the most part, and fun times with the kids and family. I absolutely love where I live. I have encountered the most wonderful friends and best of all friends who own local farms: Berry Farms.
Reagan Purdy is a wonderful friend and one of the owners of Purdy's Enterprises. This time of year she not only works in the school setting at the local high school in Mt. Angel, Oregon but she also manages operations of the farm with her husband. I can always depend on her for the best time to get my strawberries.
THIS YEAR~
We have had so much rain lately I wasn't sure about picking up my strawberries but due to a busy, (yes I said busy!) crazy life lately now was the only time I would have to pick up the berries! They look great. Mary was there to greet me and showed me where my picked flats were. I had a flat of hoods and another flat of berries I planned to make jam out of.
LITTLE DID I KNOW~
When I arrived home both of my boys were eyeing the berries like hawks. Little did I know they wanted to eat as many as they could. I swear they would turn into strawberries! I washed a few and let them chow down on them while I began washing and freezing two quarts and washing the others that I would soon turn into jam.
I enjoy canning, though it is a process. It is somewhat relaxing! Not to mention my kids are eating something that I made. You should have seen the Marion berry jam I made last year. I think I still have a few jars left. My oldest son loves it so much he just asks for JAM SANDWICHES! That is another story.
Here are a few pictures of the process and the finished products!
Cheers!
