Yesterday I canned the world’s most expensive free peaches. My neighbor dropped off a bunch of peaches from his tree earlier in the week and my girlfriend Tricia and I spent the afternoon making peach jam (as soon as she left I spoon fed myself an entire jar, no bread necessary). We were so impressed with our domesticity that we decided to can peaches as well.
Her neighbor had a laden tree just waiting for two overambitious stay-at-homers to come along so it could woo them into its peachy clutches. We had such lofty goals. I could picture an entire pantry full of glistening free peaches, all lovingly canned from my own two hands. I thought to myself, my mother cans peaches every year, I know all about canning peaches. I’ve seen her do it a hundred times. No sweat.
Wrong. There was sweat. After an hour of running around town wasting gas while trying to find jar lids (two stores were out), we started The Process. We had all four gas burners blasting as we boiled the syrup, singed the fuzzy coats off and prepared a bath for our bathing beauties.
Have you ever sliced a peach in half and noticed how nicely it split apart? Not these green monsters. We’d dig our nails into them and pry with all our might. Then we’d take the pairing knives and whack chunks off to throw into those bottomless pits otherwise known as quart jars.
Four hours of hard back aching labor and what did we have to show? 12 jars of peaches. Let me break down just how expensive these “free” peaches were.
Two laborers at $20 an hour (our worth) = $160
Lids = $10
Gas Money To Find Lids = $10
Total cost = $180
Wholesale price of finished jars = $15 a jar
I have so much respect for Walmart. If it wasn’t for Walmart and their cheap peaches, I would probably be dead by the time I’m 40. No wonder pioneer women didn’t live long, if I had to work that hard for all my food plus make clothes plus launder clothes plus nurse babies while making and laundering clothes and canning peaches *big breath*…
I would be glad to die.
Since Tricia hasn’t opened her jars from last year yet, she graciously gave me these lovely hacked up beauties to take home and dress my shelves. I’ve decided that with 12 jars, we will take out one jar each month and gaze at it. Maybe I’ll use it as a center piece.
I’ll tell you one thing, they’re way too valuable to eat.
Ah, canning. I feel I must do it, but sometimes I too wonder at it’s worth. But never fear, next week I will be canning apple pie filling. I will probably be complaining too. (Last week was plum jam.)
I’ve never canned…yet. But last night, I tried my hand at making pasta, at home (not my home). I’d never thought of making my own pasta- it’s quite the process.
Uh, Annie? I think you’re supposed to wait until they’re ripe before you can them. If they really were hard and unripe when you put them in the jar…they’ll be hard and unripe when you eat them.
Mmmm. Crunchy peaches.
I could be wrong, but I don’t think so. That’s why my friend who canned not-ripe peaches had to cook them all before putting them into the jars. But good job canning something anyway. Hope they turn out:)
Most of them were ripe, right Annie? The just won’t be state fair prize winning jars. Now we can rest easy at night knowing we’re good mormon women.
Joking, joking!!
Good job on the effort Annie, I too though think maybe they weren’t ready? Anyway, I just picked two boxes of apples off the ground at my MIL and watch me go people-2nd round of applesauce canning about to take off!
Peaches and pears last week (easier than applesauce…if they are ripe!) Blackberry and strawberry jam asap.
My mom said she never liked Sept when we were little because all she did was can. She was lamenting over green beans, she used to can 140 quarts and that didn’t include the tomatoes, tuna, prunes, peaches, pears, jams, pickles (dill and sweet), and whatever else she could torture herself with and cram into our pantry. My goals are not so lofty.
And that is why I will never can peaches.
I guess I'm not a good mormon woman… ;>p
I’m with you. I’ve never canned/jarred peaches, but this weekend I watched my mother in law, sister in law and aunt in law do the process. And I’m like, no thanks! What’s wrong with Del Monte?
I have never canned. I have made lots of freezer jam and it turns out everytime. Great memory and one you will look back on for years to come.
I DO NOT can, but one thing I do remember from my mother’s canning is that she made sure to get “freestone” peaches vs. “cling” peaches, whose pits “cling” to the peach . . . . It is said cling stones are better for canning . . . but not for my mother, and I can understand why . . . . Oh Annie, you had cling stone peaches and they are miserable!! Google it if you want to know more.
Way to go though . . . you are a braver woman than I!
Aha. Thank you TIna, that explains it. The peaches actually tasted divine, they just would not come apart. Stupid clingy pits…
So you’re worth $20/hour because of your mad skillz?
Tiff and I did that last year, with pears (a little easier process) and only came out with 12 jars each. . . we really did eat one jar a month!
I don’t believe in canning. I am in awe of you for doing it though. I hope they taste wonderful! I had no idea, but everytime they passed around the canning list at church, I thought I was signing up for pre-canned goods…when I found out I actually had to go and can them myself, I quickly removed myself from the list…what, pay money, and then go have to can them too…in your dreams, I’d rather starve…
I am so laughing right now. At least you have something to show for your efforts. It cost me over $3000 – yes that is the correct number of 0s – to wash my windows, because I had to break my leg, literally doing it. And lamest of all there is smuck all over them again thanks to our clay yard and rainy summer.
I love your blog!! Thought of you today at the Lacey Community Market. Thank you for your informatation. 🙂
Rachel Grimmer
chloesclips.blogspot.com
LOL…um, I meant to say inspiration. 😉
r u home? We need to get together. I need to see cute little Junie! I have kind of been out of the blog world for a bit, Mike has been between jobs and life has been a little stressful. I am a bad friend. how are you doing missing your hubby? call me luv–lez
I think that exact same day I made salsa. It distinctly said 20 minutes prep, 1 hour start to finish. 8 hours laters, I have 7 pints of salsa. I might bring you one at Thanksgiving. Does that tell you what kind of friend I think you are? Oh, and it’s good but not hot enough. More chili next time!