2011, a Year of Preservation.

Last January I made a plan to be more productive, a celebration and cultivation of my skills. Many of the goals slipped away as time passed and production stopped altogether for a few months while I sorted through some life changes and worked out of state for a month, but as life does, it all worked out. I dreamed a lofty goal of canning 12 batches of something or other... and with help from lovers, friends and family I put up 28 different varieties of preserves. To round it out to an even thirty I've included two batches where I only assisted with some of the preparation and not actual preservation. It's a technicality, really. I made a serious sacrifice by eating 10 pounds of watermelon in three days just so my boyfriend could make his grandma's watermelon rind pickles. I swear, there is no history of watermelon obsession in my lineage and I didn't enjoy a second of it. Promise!

Photos are not in order

 So here it is in mostly chronological order.

• Chile Mandarin Marmalade with Ginger (7 half pints, 7 quarter pints)
• Habanero Hot Sauce (1 bottle)
• Russian Beet Relish (7 pints)
• Pickled Kale (5 pints)
• Blueberry Lime Syrup/Jam   (~6 half pints)
• Preserved Whole Figs (~ 6 half pints)
• Honey Lemon Lavender Jelly (8 half pints)
• Pickled Fennel (5 half pints)
• Onion Marmalade (5 half pints)
• Rhubarb Ketchup (3.5 pints)
• Dilly Beans (2 quarts, 5 pints)
• Pickled Nectarines (3 pints)
• Crunchy Dill Pickles (5 quarts)
• Fig Jam
• Rose Hip Jam (3 pints, 3 half pints and 4 quarter pints)
• Plum Jam (3 half pints)
• Watermelon Pickles - I didn't make the pickles, but I ate all the delicious fruit inside!
•  Spiced Crab Apple Pickles (7 pints)
• Crabby Brine Jelly (4 half pints)
• Roasted Tomato Passata (27 pints and 12 quarts)
• Peach and Wild Plum Jam (21 half pints)
• Halved Peaches in Light Syrup (16 quarts and 13 pints)
• Mom's Pickled Beets (24 pints)
• Just Plain Tomatoes (29 pints)
• Peach Butter (3 pints)
• Yellow Tomato & Lemon Jam (10 half pints)
• Green Tomato Refrigerator Pickles (1 quart and 4 pints)
• Quince Jelly - admittedly, I only helped pick the fruit, not process. And by pick, I mean hold a bag while someone else climbs a ladder and does all the real work.
• Piccalilli / Mustard Pickles
• Pickled Onions (3 pints)

PS. Watermelon.

Great-Grandma Lena's fall harvest. Unknown year.