08/16/10

We'll get back to Maine... I promise. lol I have to finish working on all one million pics.

Let's take a trip to the Fowler kitchen for a "jamming" good time.

Literally.

Mikayla and Wesley decided to enter jams into the fair this year. Saturday a week ago we began our process of a lot of jams and conserves. I did four batches and the kids did two batches. I was quite tired at the end of the day but it was so fun having the kids a part of this and teaching them about "jamming." (I am still learning myself, but it is nice having them learn with me.)

I will admit right away that I did not take as many pictures of Mikayla doing her "thang"... I was helping her too much by that point because Kevin had already headed back home when hers needed to be finished. He had helped with Wesley's so I could do some photography moments. :)

Mikayla chose Cherry Jam. She was pitting the cherries with this wonderful contraption called a cherry pitter. Not a universal tool but one that made me and my fingers very happy.a closeup view

Wesley with a knife... I was a bit concerned at first but he did a REALLY great job cutting up the peaches for his Peach Jam.

Now Wesley had to press the peaches down so they would be in pieces. He really got into this job.

The peaches have cooked and now he is skimming foam off the top from where the sugar bubbled up during the cooking process.

Ladling the jam into the jars

Isn't that pretty!?

He was SO proud and wanted me to photograph him in front of the window so you could see the light coming through the jam. lol

The jam had a 10 minute water bath to seal the lids. Wesley (and Mikayla, too) had to take the jars out and carefully set them on the table. We covered them up with a towel after that.

Mikayla's turn... her cherries had cooked and now she was ladling.

I hate I didn't get anymore of her.... I was just running around the kitchen too much. She was tickled pink... or cherry red... with herself for her accomplishment, too. It excites me to see them wanting to learn.

The fair is just around the corner and we have lots to do before it gets here! At least this is a huge piece of the entries. I still have another couple of jams to make which I'll do in the next couple of weekends.

First.... I really need to make a homemade apple pie.

Seriously.