Strawberry Picking and Freezer Jam

Strawberry picking this year was outstanding! The babes had an amazing time. Much different from last year when I had little guy in my pack. He loved roaming free, eating tons of strawberries and chasing his big sis! I love when our adventures turn out successfully.We picked the better part of 8 pounds of strawberries. The berries are smaller but sweeter this year. My girl searched for the biggest, and my little man was happy eating. Dropped berries were picked up (hay included) and shoved back in. I (and Grandma) totally enjoyed watching the two little ones having such a ball. There is something magical and wonderful about watching your children enjoying an experience as much as you did at their age. And, remembering it as if it were yesterday! (THanks mom for all those years out in the fields every June!) Mom would take us out of school one day every June to go pick strawberries and then send in a tray of chocolate covered strawberries the next day. There is nothing better than a hands-on experience to capture the pure essence of something. Strawberry picking definitely stimulates your senses!

This is Buddy the very BIG Mastiff. His birthday is in August and he will be two. Buddy is HUGE! Girly is 44 inches tall, so you can get some perspective on how big he is. She would have brought him home if she could. I told her one day when she has a farm, she can have a giant dog.

Evidence of lots of eating and laughing hard!

He would take a bite, drop it, pick it up (along with lots of straw) and try to continue eating it.

He would chase her to the ends of the earth....LOVES his big sis! I think she LOVES him too!

I’ve decided to try making Strawberry Freezer Jam. I looked through the many blogs I read (and their canning experiences). Inspired by tips and tools...here it goes. THIS POST made the most sense to me (thank you Erin!). I used the Sure Jell instructions and it was super easy.

Strawberry Freezer Jam

(recipe from Sure Jell package)

Ingredients:

1 pack of 12 (4 oz) Quilted Crystal Jelly Jars

1 Canning Funnel

4 cups sugar

1 box Sure Jell

2 cups mashed fresh strawberries

Directions:

1. Boil jars/lids 10 minutes to sterilize, set aside to dry

2. Cut up 2 cups of strawberries into little pieces

3. Mash with a pastry cutter until mushy

4. Pour 4 cups sugar into strawberry mash, stir and let sit for 10 minutes (stirred once or twice) smell is unreal!

5. Boiled 3/4 cup water with one package of Sure Jell, stirring constantly until dissolved

6. Poured into strawberry/sugar mixture, stirred for 3 minutes until mixed well

7. Used canning funnel and soup ladle to pour mixture into jars leaving 1/2 inch at top

8. Screwed lids on tightly

Wait 24 hours--Freeze

Notes/Thoughts

*smell after strawberries were mashed was unreal (intensely sweet!)

*took about 1 hour (while feeding little man)

*filled 12 (4 oz) jars exactly with 1/2 inch left at top

*really easy, not too much mess, other than bowls and pot

**just tasted it....it is very sweet and delicious...a little bit goes a long way!

The best little helper!