I remember when I was growing up all the summer days that we had to spend helping my mom with the canning and freezing of food instead of playing.  I swore up and down back then that I would never, ever do that stuff when I was grown up.  Well, it's funny how things change!  This summer and fall we have just been blessed with so much produce given to us, that I decided I was going to learn how to can!  My wonderful mother-in-law gave me all of her jars, lids, rings, water bath canner, pressure cooker, and blanching pot because she doesn't use them anymore.  Then I found a step-by-step book on how to can, and decided to give it a try!  It is sort of addictive I must admit!  Knowing that you have all of these organically grown fruits and vegetables to enjoy in the dead of winter is in a very weird way,  reassuring and comforting.  Anyway, that is my new obsession right now, and what I have been spending all of my free time doing all summer.  I am done for the year, and put away all of my canning stuff today.  According to my records this is what I was able to can and freeze this summer:

10 quarts strawberries

6 quarts raspberries

8 quarts of rhubarb

6 quarts squash

6 pints pepperoncini

44 quarts tomato's

45 quarts applesauce

35 quarts green beans

12 quarts corn

22 quarts peaches

20 pints of strawberry jam 

I am excited to see how much this saves on the grocery bill this summer!  Thank you so much to everyone that showered us with produce this summer!