What are you canning now?

[Sore Thumb Suburbanite]

Ok, went apple picking yesterday with my mom, husband and my siblings and their families... I'm sure this can't be the case with you all in other states, but here in southern california, there were hoards upon hoards of people at these places and we arrived before 10 am! By the time my family left at noon there were 3 times as many people up there (every parking lot full, sides of roads packed, and tons of bumper to bumper cars on the road) and-----all the orchards were closed-not allowing anyone else to pick because they were out of apples! Apparently this was a combination of record amounts of visitors in the two weeks prior and an early or late frost that affected the trees. But seriously, it was a total mad house we waited almost 40 minutes in line to pay for our apples at 2.50 a lb! (apparently they were organic, and I absolutely had no idea they would cost that much!) Also, there were probably 20 people per tree being picked when we got there, and they were still letting people in when we left...

I am so absolutely shocked by that experience. I hope it is just limited to southern ca... I also think its evidence of times changing---more people caring about where their food comes from, how its grown and also more people wanting to preserve their own foods...

Anyways, I'm canning my huge, locally grown apples wednesday or thursday, I'm making some apple sauce and some apple pie filling.

 

[marymac]

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That is crazy!!!!!!!!!

 

[vfem]

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That does sound very crazy and unusual to me!

I get some of mine from the farm up the street and they're $1 a lb regularly (They sell to me in bulk at $20 a bushel ~40 lbs). I have 4 of my own trees that only produced 1 apple this year. Hoping next year is better. We also have pear, apple and pecan trees on the side of the road around here and you just go out and pick them as you please! Old famr land I guess.

But yes, I agree... more people are aware like never before of what they are eating, where it comes from and what it is worth to eat the good stuff! I like that mentality!

 

[bockbock2008]

Today, since I was off work, I spent part of the day with my grandma and we got 4 pints of pear honey and 6 quarts of pear halves in light syrup done. Lots more pears to be done!!!

 

[Marcymom3]

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WOW! That is incredible! I heard that the local pick-your-own orchard had the same scenario on Sunday. Last Wednesday I ordered a bushel of seconds from another orchard with a stand at the farmers' market. They looked really great and I only paid $13 for them. I will be getting another bushel tomorrow, which means tonight I'm doing pie filling. Will use the next batch for apple butter. Does anyone can just apple slices? I think I will do some just plain ones to use in apple bread and Jewish apple cake. Loving the fall in Maryland!

 

[Marcymom3]

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Wishing you good luck in the judging!

Would love the recipe for caramel apple.

 

[rancher hicks]

Just dropping in to say not doing anything at the moment. and to say the Egg plant preserves came out good but DW and I don't care for them much. I gave a jar to an Italian friend and she and hers love them. She said she mixed some with some tomato sauce and had it over pasta. I never would have thought to do that. So I guess she'll be getting most of the other jars and I won't be making them again.

Take care, apples are next if I can get the time.

Rancher

 

[CranberryCreekFarm]

HELP! Put some applesauce in the crockpot over night, slept in this morning and it is waayyy too soft to be applesauce....can I change it to applebutter and how would I do this?? It is a brown color simmilar to apple butter! I only added apples, water and sugar, and cinnamon....Thank you all!

 

[vfem]

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For apple butter take the lid off or turn it slightly to let more moisture escape. After a few hours it should be a darker brown and thicker and you have apple butter.

Did you add spices and sugar?

 

[GJ_Kate]

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Wow! I'm so glad it's not like that at the apple orchard across the street from us! He sells us boxes (25 lbs) of seconds for $5 and there is never a line or cars parked all over. I used to live in the OC when I was in college. I went to Cal State Disneyland... opps I mean Cal St Fullerton. LOL My college roommates live in La Mirada now and that's our "free lodging". I moved up here (CO) in 1999 and realy just miss the dining/eating options, and sometimes the weather.

So am I right to think 3 lbs of apples to 1 qt of applesauce? They are really small apples (seconds), but I did just buy a Roma/Victorio food strainer, so hopefully that will make a difference.