the old gray mare she ain't what she use... - My MSAA Community

My MSAA Community

8,921 members20,602 posts

the old gray mare she ain't what she used to be

goatgal profile image
35 Replies

On Labor Day, my neighbor and I went to a local orchard which had half bushels on sale, $25 peaches or apples or mixed. I usually make Peach Ginger Jam, or Peach Lemon Verbena Jam, or Peach Butter this time of year. But I have a few jars left from last year, so I thought better of it. Instead, I bought a half bushel of apple seconds for less. Once upon a long ago time, I could have dealt with that amount in three days of more or less non-stop production...but now, older but not particularly wiser, I finished the third batch yesterday, a total of a dozen pints and three half pints. I made a gallon of unsweetened applesauce, and still have about a dozen apples left which I'll turn into apple bars or a apple maple walnut cobble to share with neighbors. I've run out of energy, but boy howdy, the house sure smells good! (Attached, the first two apple butter batches)

Written by
goatgal profile image
goatgal
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
35 Replies
Morllyn profile image
Morllyn

That all sounds delicious!

Sandydemop profile image
Sandydemop

delicious and amazing.

goatgal profile image
goatgal in reply to Sandydemop

Thank you. I have to divide everything I do into stages because I can't stand for hours at a time anymore, nor can I move quickly. So I must be very careful. I have a small galley kitchen which means a lot of back and forth. Once the canner is set up (for days because once it's filled with water, I can't move it), there's almost no counter space. In between every stage, there's an awful lot of repetitive washing up...I can't start anything else (like putting in the fall winter garden) while doing this, but I've done this for more than half a lifetime,

I like working with my hands, and as with growing some of what I eat, working makes me feel competent and useful. But, if the ground will dry out some, and the weather cooperate, I've got to get busy outside to put in that fall winter garden! Garlic, leeks, and chard are ready to plant, and salad greens to seed. Although every single thing I do takes so much more time than it once did, I am so very grateful that I can still do some of what I once could accomplish.

CalfeeChick profile image
CalfeeChickCommunityAmbassador in reply to goatgal

I'm 74 and would love to be able to keep up with you. Of course now I don't have the canning supplies or access to all the fresh "free" fruits. I do make refrigerator pickles, but I'm the only one that enjoys them!

bxrmom profile image
bxrmom in reply to goatgal

Do you have chair in the kitchen that you can sit on while you work? That helps to not have to stand all the time.

NorasMom profile image
NorasMom in reply to goatgal

So, you don't attempt to move the canner off the burner when the jars are done? You just let everything cool naturally and then take them out? I'm very interested, because I want to get back into canning but don't think I'd be able to move the full canner, either.

goatgal profile image
goatgal in reply to NorasMom

After I broke my ankle, I gave away my waterbath canner. I splurged and bought myself an electric waterbath canner that has a drain spigot, It sits on the counter with the spigot at the sinks edge, so when I am finished with canning, I can still shove the canner full of hot water so the spigot is above the sink, open it, let the boiling water drain into the sink.

But BEFORE the broken ankle, because I became too unsteady and wobbly to carry that weight to the back door and dump it down the steps...(I never could lift that weight to dump it into the sink) here's how I managed the waterbath canner: when the jars had been immersed for the correct amount of time, and I needed the stove top space, I used tongs to remove them. I would set them on a folded towel to cool where they wouldn't be disturbed for 24 hours. When all the jars were out, the canner would still be too hot and heavy to move, so I would get a bucket with a handle and a long handled cooking pot. Then I would bail an amount I could carry from the canner to the bucket. Two or three trips later, the water in the canner would be low enough I could lift and empty it anywhere I wanted.

My family did not admire my stubborn nature, but I can almost always find a way to do something that I enjoy. They called it stubborn, I call it creative problem solving!

goatgal profile image
goatgal in reply to NorasMom

For health and safety reasons, you shouldn't let the jars cool in the canner. The lids will not seal tightly in the cooling water. Jars should be removed from the canner while the water is still hot enough to burn you...hence good tongs!

NorasMom profile image
NorasMom in reply to goatgal

That's what I was thinking about leaving the jars in it, but it honestly hadn't occurred to me to just bail the water out. Thank you!

CalfeeChick profile image
CalfeeChickCommunityAmbassador in reply to NorasMom

Easier to buy the tongs, then put Jars on wooden cutting board or a folded up towel so the bottoms of the jars don’t break

Amore55 profile image
Amore55

That all sounds delicious! I have made 12 pints of raspberry jam, 12 quarts of unsweetened applesauce (chunky) and 6 pints of blueberry syrup. I had to make waffles to go with the syrup. Yummy, it’s fun to taste and wonderful to look at.

goatgal profile image
goatgal in reply to Amore55

Kelly, you must have been wearing your Wonder Woman cape and belt! Of course you had to make waffles! Nothing is better on a crisp fall morning than hot waffles, oozing butter, dripping with raspberry syrup. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water! 'Well done!!!

Amore55 profile image
Amore55 in reply to goatgal

I don’t own a cape! But maybe I will try to find one. It might help me avoid some fatigue!

goatgal profile image
goatgal in reply to Amore55

ooops, blueberry syrup! Both kinds are phenomenal.

hairbrain4 profile image
hairbrain4

Good for you! You may be whooped but you got a lot done! And have quite a bit of yummy good stuff for a while.🧡

agapepilgrim profile image
agapepilgrim

goatgal— 82??? I’m 75 and only managed to make a couple loaves of apple carrot raisin bread. Nothing wrong with you, you young whippersnapper!🤣👌😄😂

CalfeeChick profile image
CalfeeChickCommunityAmbassador

It all sounds delicious! If you were my neighbor I would be delighted to help you with all your prep. In my much younger days, I used to make my own "apple pie filling" process it an can it in gallon jars and I would have fresh pie filling for months Did the same with peaches, too. My girls were so young then, I don't know how I had the energy! Sure wish I had that kind of energy now. It's all I can do to prepare a meal.

Sandydemop profile image
Sandydemop

if i was your neighbor i would show up with a fork and spoon.

BettysMom profile image
BettysMom

Wow! You are amazing!

falalalala profile image
falalalala

I wish you were my neighbor!

Panda52 profile image
Panda52

apple maple walnut cobbler sounds wonderful. Do you share recipes.

When my children were younger and I lived on a farm with my first husband I would can about 100 quarts of spaghetti sauce. Now I live in town and my husband plants about a dozen tomato plants. There is an ongoing battle between my husband and the neighborhood ground for the crop but we got enough for a few pints os stewed tomatoes. There is just something comforting about putting up food for the winter.

PS I made something new this year- Beet Jelly!

goatgal profile image
goatgal in reply to Panda52

The recipe is from King Arthur's baking book. I have a neuro appt this morning. When I return, I'll photo the recipe page and post it.

Panda52 profile image
Panda52 in reply to goatgal

thank you 😀

CalfeeChick profile image
CalfeeChickCommunityAmbassador in reply to Panda52

I wish we were neighbors. We’d have a great time. Most I make now is refrigerator pickles!

Workerbea profile image
Workerbea

Love your accomplishment and picture! What an inspiration & reminder of days gone by! So happy we can celebrate with you!

mrsmike9 profile image
mrsmike9

Yummmm.....

carolek572 profile image
carolek572CommunityAmbassador

So rewarding to enjoy the fruits of your labor, goatgal ! You are amazingly inspirational! :-D

kdali profile image
kdali

I bet it smells lovely! 🥰

how do you deal w the heat in the kitchen?

I haven’t cooked in half a decade due to heat and back & forth between fridge counter stove & sink

If heat sensitivity isn’t an issue, lucky duck!

Looks wonderful 😊

goatgal profile image
goatgal in reply to Goldilockssearching

In my former life, I could work in shorts, t-shirts and sandals, and would also open windows and put a fan in the kitchen. Now I don't do marathon canning events. I'm very lucky, I have a strong fan above the stove, an air conditioned house, and don't keep pots generating heat all day.

Goldilockssearching profile image
Goldilockssearching in reply to goatgal

our builder messed up & didn’t vent stove fan outside so ours is lacking efficiency.

Wonder if it’d make a difference if we install a different one?

List of future improvements 😉

Humbrd profile image
Humbrd

Awesome!! It's almost been 20 years since I canned anything. That's really awesome you did yours !! Looks yummy. I can imagine how good your house smells.

goatgal profile image
goatgal

Thank you! and thanks as well to everyone else for the support.

BlanketTime1 profile image
BlanketTime1

she might not be what she used to be, but she's still going!😀 sounds delicious!

Cutefreckles72 profile image
Cutefreckles72

I agree it is hard work. My father used to make peach preserves and it was delicious. Good with homemade rolls and biscuits.

You may also like...

Just for fun: what do you call your MS? She? He? It? Did you give it a nickname?

If life gives you lemons...

ready to go into jars and then the canner. What used to take me a day, now takes three half days,...

What do you call a 35 year old Christmas cactus?

Ugh! I forgot the step!!!!

YELLOW! So I made it without soiling myself BUT I left step stool in tractor cab. Luckily I could...

sound vibrations cause shooting pains?

are commercial peach growers. Surrounded by 400 orachard fans by neighbors with orchard as well ....