Peaches For Free

Last week we were given A bushel (over 50 lbs) of New Haven peaches from Michigan. I had to work fast since they were pretty ripe. I was able to can peach and basil jam, peach jam, peach butter,peach syrup and sliced peaches. Took me three days to get through them and only ended up throwing out a handful that were too ripe. Everything turned out delicious. We will see if it even lasts past Winter! But, oooh! The taste of Summer in the next couple of seasons get me really excited!

Country Girl Sweet Dill Pickles

Pickle time! 

Here is a recipe for my favorite pickles!

Country Girl Sweet Dill Pickles

Bring to a boil: 3 Cups sugar, 2 Tablespoons salt, 2 Cups pure apple cider vinegar, 2 Cups water.

Place in each pint jar (about 4 pint jars): sliced cucumbers

1 whole garlic clove, 1 fresh dill sprig

Pour liquid into sterile jars. Seal. Process in boiling water about 15 minutes in canner.

Allow the pickles to cure for a month before eating! 

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I cheated and dug into them after a week! They were great!!!

Funky Farmgirl Freckles Labels

I just may be a little obsessed with designing labels! It all started when I made the top label for the Fire Cider I'm brewing. I love how it turned out, so decided to make more for my preserves and canned goodness that may be sold or given as gifts. Don't you think they will look cute on my jars? Now I can't wait to put them all over everything, and when I do I will share it with you! Plus I have several more in mind that I will design later...For now, I need to do chores!!!

Have a great week y'all!!!

Amish Apple Butter & Old Friends Coming For A Visit

Amish Apple Butter

Ingredients

• 6 lbs. mixed variety apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
• 1 3/4 cups apple cider
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in the crock pot and mix well. Cook on the high setting for 2 hours, stirring periodically. Turn the crock to low and cook 7-8 more hours. Puree with an immersion blender if desired for a smoother consistency.
2. Process jars in water canner (boiling for 10 minutes)
3. Enjoy!!! Good for one year on your pantry shelf

My daughters friend Reagan & her parents came for a visit this week all the way from Northern Cali. It was a short but sweet visit since they were making their way up to Michigan to see their other daughter in college. We were blessed even for the short time the girls had. They have missed being together since our move to Indiana in July.

Of course we had to take a few snapshots of their moment together. Hoping that they will see each other this coming Summer while my girl may fly out to go to Hume Lake with her bestie Bella! 

I love this family photo of them with my girl who is barefooted...

Made me smile!!!

Chicken Scratch~ Autumn In The Kitchen & Friends

I finally got around to using the peppers from the Farmer over the weekend! Plus the tomatoes....I now have some colorful jars of fermenting goodness on our counter. My dear Mr. Darling loves spicy, hot salsas and hot sauce....So I thought I would make some homemade hot sauce and a mucho hot salsa for him...Plus trying my hand at fermenting for the first time. The peppers will ferment for a while then will be blended down into a lovely hot sauce. Yummo! Can't wait to try them!

I finally got to the apples from the apple Orchard across the street from our Farmer friend's homestead...I made apple sauce, and cooking down apples and spices in the crock pot using an Amish Apple Butter recipe. It's still cooking down as I type this post...So far the house smells very Autumn festive like...And the flavors are divine!!! I also used my homemade brown sugar...I will never buy brown sugar in the store again...You just need sugar and molasses...Mix it up and it tastes so so so good!!! My canning season is just about coming to an end. I just have a bunch of tomatoes I will dice and preserve for use in my famous chili. Then I need to finish up my apple butter, make apple pie filling and pumpkin butter. Lastly I will be prepping the butternut squash which was also gifted to us from the Farmer & his wife...That will be diced up and froze... for roasting and soup!

The weather is getting chillier....except for today we had a weird hot day...The trees are turning and falling as the Autumn mood is in the air. We enjoyed a fun party over the weekend in Ohio at our friends home from church. A couple gal~friends of my daughters came along with us. It was a fun night with food, fellowship, hot cocoa, singing around a fire and S'mores. So thrilled and happy to finally be a part of a wonderful church and genuinely loving people who have opened their arms to us here in Indiana! We feel right at home, loved, safe and comforted. God is so good! We have so many things to be grateful for. We are at peace.

Awww Shucks! Support Your Local Farmer!

Shucks!!! I was productive today!

 We got 6 dozen fresh sweet corn from a farmer down the road...

I shucked, cleaned, scraped and cut 12 pints canned corn, 

8 quart freezer bags full of cut corn, along with a handful of cobs for the freezer!

 This will be great for my little family come Winter!

 I don't have my own crops of corn so I went to a local Farmer's home and bought from them. I try to make efforts to buy from my local Farmer's as often as possible. I am putting fresh, local grown produce on my table for my family while supporting the local farmer and his family, to put food on their table in return. It's a win win in my book!!!!