A Bountiful Harvest. What next?
I looked out the window and what did I see?
If you know that answer to that question you know what we saw on our apricot tree last March. We planted our little dwarf apricot tree soon after we built this house. Over the years as it grew we had a few small harvests and one good one that I made about 7 batches of jam. Most of the time, we didn’t get enough to even enjoy as a snack. Part of the problem of living in Utah with the frosts being so unpredictable about the time the tree would bloom.
The past couple of years we had an amazing amount of fruit on the tree, but having a newborn or being pregnant kept me from doing much with what fruit was on the tree so we lost the bounty of the harvest. This year I did not expect to have much on the tree. We had a huge snow storm the week the blossoms popped open, and my husband didn’t get the tree pruned this year. Somehow we have been blessed and the tree had a bounty of fruit. I think it is the most we have ever seen. I have done 4 batches of jam, 18 ½ quarts of bottled fruit, and two batches of dehydrated apricots. We have given a large basket full to both our parents, and Michael has made a couple of cobblers with them. There still is more on the tree. I am so grateful for the opportunity to do something with the yield of fruit off the tree. I have felt extremely guilty for the amount of food that has gone to waste the past few years.
So tell me, what are ways that you use excess harvests? What are some of your canning and preserving tips? I am rather new at this. I make pretty good jam, and I have done chili sauce and chunky catsup, but nothing else. What can make the process easier and create less heat in the home? I know my biggest tip is to do it with someone else. It made doing the work so much faster and so much easier.
How can we show more gratitude for what we are given by using it to the best of our abilities? Remember to consider altitude in your suggestions since we live all over the world!
July 10th, 2006 18:09
I have absolutely nothing to say to help, because I am completely inept in this arena, but I just wanted to write and say WOO HOO for you! I’m seriously impressed.
July 11th, 2006 16:34
Whoa! Awesome!
Like Michelle above, I’m no help on this topic. Thus far it’s been one of those “someday I hope to learn about…” kinds of things.
My friend Angie just gave me a tub of raspberry freezer jam that she made yesterday. I can’t wait to dig in. Maybe I need to pick her brain a little…Freezer jam is a start, right?
:)
July 11th, 2006 18:35
So will there be bounty to share when someone might be your neck of the woods sometime soon?
We have volunteer eggplant here at our house, but didn’t make good use of that bounty this year. Maybe next time we can find more eggplant recipes.
Would the apricots work in your vinegar bottles? Apricot salsa?
The Apricot Producers of California have quite a few recipes and ideas at their website
July 11th, 2006 19:10
Michelle don’t be too impressed, it has only taken me 14 years to figure out how to do this.
Naiah, I have yet to figure out how to make freezer jam work. I have yet to have good results with it. They either taste funny, or get all grainy. So I end up heating up the house and doing it the traditional canned way. I can say Raspberry is my favorite. Good thing I can’t afford to make it too often.
Trust you Téa to figure out places for me to go!!!!!!! I have thought about doing a vinegar bottle with it, I do have instructions for making fruit ones. Salsa sounds good too. Some great ideas there.
July 11th, 2006 20:17
All I can say is I love apricot jam (cooked!). And if you make more you can give it to friends and family for christmas. With a loaf of bread if you want!
July 11th, 2006 20:23
What about apricot leather?
July 12th, 2006 07:44
ooo yum! do you have room in your freezer? freeze them up and then put a few in your blender with yogurt and ouila! instant smoothie!
July 13th, 2006 14:55
Thanks so much for the wonderful comments and suggestions. I have made some vinegar, it sits in my fridge waiting to be strained and poured into my vinegar bottles. I have a small amount to make a jello. My husband went out to pick some more for me yesterday, and for the most part what is left on the tree appears to have the dreaded bugs. I feel very good about what I have done this year, and with the suggestions I look forward to trying some more later.
I love to make jam and usually I do lots. With my bout of PPD I’m lucky to have done this much! I can credit my husbands help on that, it is much easier to do with two people. Not only does the time pass pleasantly, it also works up much faster.