Reserves of Preserves.

Frizz1974

Frizz1974

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Does anyone else compulsively make preserves from their garden even though last years efforts are still in abundance?

We are having new floor coverings laid this and this means emptying 2 freestanding 6’ x 3’ pantry/linen cupboards that live in our mud room.

In the one designated for storing preserves there were dozens & dozens of jars with green tomato or mustard pickles for every year going back 10 years.

Is it just me?

Some years I haven't had great gardening success so I've bought tomatoes for sauce and if I score cheap produce I might make some of it into preserves.

I’ve just pickled a huge jar of sliced cucumber and yesterday I found a jar from June last year.

3BA7D23B-7CE2-4A74-8302-6EC7F2C8366D.jpeg


On the left are the pickles I made this morning & on the right are the older ones.
 
Last edited:
Frizz1974 said:
Does anyone else compulsively make preserves from their garden even though last years efforts are still in abundance?

We are having new floor coverings laid this and this means emptying 2 freestanding 6’ x 3’ pantry/linen cupboards that live in our mud room.

In the one designated for storing preserves there were dozens & dozens of jars with green tomato or mustard pickles for every year going back 10 years.

Is it just me?

Some years I haven't had great gardening success so I've bought tomatoes for sauce and if I score cheap produce I might make some of it into preserves.

I’ve just pickled a huge jar of sliced cucumber and yesterday I found a jar from June last year.

View attachment 15160

On the left are the pickles I made this morning & on the right are the older ones.
Click to expand...
How lovely to be in your position. I think I would do the same. Do you forget to eat it or are your family not keeping up with your supply? Can you give more away as presents? Can you swap some for something different homemade from your local neighbours and friends? Can you sell some at your gate?
 
I tried to grow tomatoes one year on the patio in grow bags. By September they were small and green. Then suddenly they got blight. I harvested all the tomatoes and I had enough to make half quantity of Delia Smith's Green Tomato Chutney. It was absolutely delicious but I decided it was an incredible amount of work over the season for a few jars of chutney.

I have been more successful with green beens but I freeze the surplus in usable portions in zip lock bags, which are normally all consumed by late Autumn. I deliberately save one bag for Christmas dinner.
 
Kake Lover said:
How lovely to be in your position. I think I would do the same. Do you forget to eat it or are your family not keeping up with your supply? Can you give more away as presents? Can you swap some for something different homemade from your local neighbours and friends? Can you sell some at your gate?
Click to expand...

I would love to sell them. It’s a dream of mine.

I do give them away. I took a huge basket down to a family Xmas gathering & set them out with a note that said to help yourself & merry Xmas.

For those that have been together a long while before they get married, as is the usual these days, I buy a picnic hamper/basket and fill it with preserves.
 
Frizz1974 said:
I would love to sell them. It’s a dream of mine.

I do give them away. I took a huge basket down to a family Xmas gathering & set them out with a note that said to help yourself & merry Xmas.

For those that have been together a long while before they get married, as is the usual these days, I buy a picnic hamper/basket and fill it with preserves.
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That's a lovely idea.
 
I've had the busiest season forever, seem to be making stuff every day, sauces and relish have been big this year.
Gerkins and onions also.

Russ
 
My brother has just canned 50 quarts of scuppernong grape jelly...what the heck do you do with all that jelly? I expect i will see jelly as a Christmas gift this year. Its his first year owning 5 acres of land up in Georgia's farm country and he is going a little harvest crazy.
 
morning glory said:
That sounds a lot! I don't know what scuppernong is.
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Its a grape about a 1/2 in diameter. Its golden in color when ripe and has a couple of large seeds. The skin in thick so if you eat them you actually squeeze them til the skin breaks and the insides pop into your mouth. Usually very tasty.
 
oddduck said:
Its a grape about a 1/2 in diameter. Its golden in color when ripe and has a couple of large seeds. The skin in thick so if you eat them you actually squeeze them til the skin breaks and the insides pop into your mouth. Usually very tasty.
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Ah - OK. I looked it up and it seems to be native to the USA. So the jelly your brother made - is it very sweet?
 
morning glory said:
Ah - OK. I looked it up and it seems to be native to the USA. So the jelly your brother made - is it very sweet?
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He said the first batch wasn't but the second batch he add more sugar. I have not tried it as he lives a bit of distance away. Sis said last month when she talk to him he was canning concord grape jelly. I have no idea what he expects to do with all this jelly.
 
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