A BIG Weekend Ahead of Us Lots of Pics

Hello and welcome it has already been a busy morning, I came into to drink my coffee and as always wanted to make a blog post......but honestly I have no time as I have so much to do today...as tomorrow I have to set up for the Gloucester Daffodil Festival which is a HUGE event and so well put on, a lot to do for everyone....food, crafts, art, games, learning......the list is endless not to mention BEAUTIFUL....the flowers speak for themselves. You can see some of my pics from last year HERE 

if you can make it out to the festival it is well worth it we are excited. 

The pic above is just the cutest.....Hippy and Miracle riding in the John Deere Gator to the pasture....they used to run right behind me or whomever was taking them but now they have discovered FRESH DEWEY SWEET GRASS awwww so yummy and tasty they just can't help themselves. They were riding up front but Bruce decided to put them in the back and away they went just perfectly fine. Hippy and Miracle were two born recently of seven right now that the moms rejected....you never know why but it happens. One of the kids she kept but Hippy she said no way....so he has been bottle fed since birth and he is doing just fine, we called him Hippy as he had this little tiny hip area which now is not a thing probably how he laid in utero. Miracle born to another doe we call her Peanut she rejected her....well I literally spent three days making her eat and Bruce told me.....she will be a Miracle if she makes it....I never gave up.....and now look.... an adorable little girl goat named Miracle with a heart of gold and runs to us the minute you call her name. Runs as fast as she can. 

Riding away now "momma stay behind us jic" 

Peach habanero jam I made yesterday along with regular peach jam so I will have lots of that this weekend 

Peach Habanero Jam 

This is a queen cell that the queen larvae is inside you can see it I also made a video for you to be able to hear the bees and see them flying around 

 bee larvae 

more pics of the bees look at those worker bees go 

THIS WEEKEND FROM 9-3 at Hickory High School Colby and I will be there along with many many other vendors It is a great show with a tremendous amount of wonderful things to buy....and a lot of my art buddies will be there with their goodies 

This is this Saturday and Sunday Bruce and Colten will be here you can see more of my pics from last year HERE  or go to their site for more info 

Of course I got ya covered with pickles 

Pickles from #9 Farms 

More pickles 

These are the habanero pickles 

I will have eggs too 

These are some of the eggs I collected one afternoon in my new basket from my friend Aylene.....THANK YOU Aylene its perfect 

strawberry jam in my 15qt. copper pot 

strawberry jam 

strawberry jam you can see more pics here of strawberries at #9 Farms 

Every week we meal plan with the help of Colby as he sets what the "boys" want to eat...and of course spaghetti around here is a huge favorite. 

This was my meal chickpea pasta, Tuscan spicy tomato sauce and Tuscan organic kale ......can I get a totally to the MAX YUM Factor .....FABULOUS 

Me making jam on my new gas stove which is like a REALLY BIG DEAL HERE as I have wanted this gas stove my whole married life and finally its is production....have not baked in it yet but that's coming 

You can see how awesome it is it was very expensive and HEAVY to put in but so worth it!! 

I am so VERY VERY VERY HAPPY to have it and my sweet apron from my granddaughters Samantha, Dakota, and Clarrisa 

Some of the plants from the greenhouse this is the pumpkin on a stick which is actually an eggplant 

more pics of the greenhouse I have a video on all my plants 

some of my pepper plants all grown from seeds 

the tomato plants all grown from seeds 

wanted to share my new hat my friend Angela Cartwright she comes to a lot of the shows I am at.   She knits amazing works of art makes her own patterns and everything. This is my new shirt handmade by Stitches by Julia on Etsy. I can't wait to wear this Saturday to show Angela.....she walked over and handed it to me and said this is for you. I LOVE IT! Its adorable in the new spring colors coral and so very soft. The shirt is amazing too...keeps me warm. 

HOPE you guys have a great week, and weekend and if your in the area stop by the shows....Hickory High School and/or Daffodil Festival. 

Dawn Gallop 

#HAPPY SPRING 

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Recipe for Making Strawberry Jam and Canning the Yummy Goodness

Hello everyone and welcome.  I will be teaching a class at Wine and Cake Hobbies tonight March 7, 2017 in Norfolk Virginia. I am making this post to help the students or anyone else along the way.

The finished pint jars for my families use only.

 

I have been canning since I was a girl with my grandma Grace who is now in her 90's.

Although I didn't quit know why or what I was doing then I just remember standing at the sink and stove with her, and her telling me over and over you will hear a "ping" when the jars start sealing. I also loved eating everything she canned. My favorite was pear preserves......oh my!!! I asked for that every time and Welch's Grape Juice when I was at her house. To start with the basics of jar preparations please see this post

Canning Tomatoes 

this will help to prepare your jars for canning. I use Ball canning jars most of the time as we buy a pallet full at a time. The Ball website is wonderful and has great recipes and instruction.

 

 

Here I am going through the strawberries to see if there are any that aren't in great shape such as a moldy one of really yucky one (you will know)

Wash them well moving them around to get all the strawberries and allow to drain

Too much water on strawberries and cause them to water downed tasting so try not to soak them, I have had ones that had so much sand and dirt on them I had to resort to that but do so briefly.

 

 

Let me also remind you to always wear some kind of covering on your head and an apron. I just love my Grateful Dead one my mom got me.....Thanks MOM!

 

 

Begin by capping the strawberries I use a tool I have had for many years and you can still find them on Ebay or other sites search from strawberry huller, strawberry capper, or even tomato huller.

Once capped you will need to use a bowl of a 13x9 dish to smash the strawberries with a potato smasher. You don't have to puree them just create juice and break them down some. I like mine "chunky"

 

 

You can see I don't completely pulp them

 

More smashing of the strawberries

 

Here you want to have 5 cups of mashed strawberries usually as reference its takes about 8 cups of whole strawberries to make the 5 cups of mashed berries. I always have so many that when its strawberry time I could can jam until I had 100's of jars so I always have more than enough.

 

Have your seven cups of sugar already measured out so once your strawberries are boiling you can have that ready to pour in the pot when its time.

 

Begin warming the strawberries on the stove top

add in your pectin (I use pectin in bulk) but whatever pectin you use read the instructions some pectin's are added at different times and have different directions, SO PLEASE READ THE INSTRUCTIONS of the PECTIN YOU are Using!!

 

 

Add three tablespoons of lemon juice

add your pectin I use one box of pectin

 

mix together the pectin and the lemon juice and begin to bring to a boil once you have a boil that cant be stirred down add your sugar

 

Add sugar in (*the seven cups already measured out) into the pot, bring to a full rolling boil that cant be stirred down and once you are there set your timer for one full minute. Then your jam is done.

 

Some don't want to use pectin and if that is the case you can carry your jam to a temp of 220 degrees Fahrenheit. This is only if you are not adding the pectin. Strawberries are very low in pectin and the older they get the less pectin there is.

 

These are the flats and rings in water that is approx. 180 degrees you don't need to boil them, just bring them to a temp of approx. 180 degrees and then keep them around that temp until ready to use.

 

Now you can skim off any white foam that has occurred while stirring I usually use a rubber spatula that is high temp safe and NSF. The canning funnel and the ladle can be purchased thru Ball

 or look at your local canning supply store.

You can begin now spooning in the jam with your ladle and your canning funnel. If you note the clear spatula in the jar that is to remove air bubbles, if you don't have one of these you can use a long knife such as a cake icing spreader that is narrow. I have that one for many years. Ball has a green one now to purchase.

Here I am wiping the rim of the jars with very hot water to insure there is no drippings and anything on the lid to keep the flats from sealing.

 

 

Place your flats and rings on the wiped jars and tighten as you would normally

 

Place the jars in the warmed waterbath canner and once all jars are in make sure the water comes 1" above the jar lids. Begin to increase the temperature and once it comes to a rolling boil begin timing for 10 minutes.

 

Once it boils I turn the stovetop down some and place the lid on the pot and vent a little to make sure the water is always boiling. Time for 10 minutes and once the timer is up time again for 5 minutes then remove the jars from the canner and place on a dry towel on the counter top. Allow them to cool on the counter until completely cooled. They will begin sealing some right away and others can take longer. If it does not seal you can use right way or try to water bath again. I usually have them all seal but every once in awhile there is always one that doesn't, we usually just eat that one. My boys don't mind. LOL!

Finished!!

 

Me making the jam.

 

Recipe

8 cups of whole strawberries

mashed to make 5 cups

1 box of pectin see above foe instructions

3 Tablespoons of lemon juice

7 cups of sugar

see above for directions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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