Apples!!

Margaret Anne, Grandmother, CJ, and Abigail working on those apples!

A friend was able to get crates of apples for all of us "autumn-deprived" folks here in central FL, and I ordered 2 crates. Yes, there are only two of us, but I had a couple reasons for ordering 2 crates. Well, first, grandchildren are always asking, "Grandmama, may I have an apple?" So, I figure they will know the answer before they ask (at least for a week or two!) And since they are here often, they will also share in the bounty (see next paragraph!)

Second, I love to put up the bounty!! We have lived in Florida for 33 years, but I never cease to miss a specific time of year to put up the harvest before the cold sets in. Here, we are blessed to be able to get fresh produce year-round at good prices (even some good local produce), so the need to preserve isn't as obvious. But I still rather like the feeling of putting by for a different season, and I enjoy the process, so I do it!

And I believe it is important to teach the children to do the same. I am not a hoarder, but a storer (just ask anyone who has seen "Grandmother's store"!) Yesterday, Molly and her younger ones came by to help me for a while, and we did applesauce! I am freezing it, so I am doing up just a large stockpot at a time, rather than a huge canner-full at once.

Margaret Anne, CJ, and Abby loved the old-time apple corer-peeler-slicer, and each took turns cranking, removing the cores, cutting the slices into half-moons, and taking the remains to the chickens. I usually do make juice from the cores, but the chickens needed a treat. Then today, Katie's little ones Rachel and Joey were over when I was working, and they repeated yesterday's routine.

I cannot tell you how precious it is to watch another generation learn old, worthwhile skills. When I was a child, we lived in Washington state, and friends who owned an orchard generously included our family in the canning time, at an actual community cannery. What an experience! And of course, my grandmothers always put up quite a bit.

My children used to help me in Indiana when we were blessed with bounty from my inlaws' acre-sized garden, and we also hunted down abandoned pear and apple trees on local farms. The basement shelves were filled with glowing jewel-colored jars.

Now their children are learning that food doesn't come from some magic tin-can machine in the back of a mega-store. One year, we made pear preserves together, just as my grandmother had done with me. My husband and I believe these lessons will not be lost on the grandchildren if (and we are afraid "when") hard times may come to America, and our descendants will be glad they learned the value of "go to the ant, learn her ways and be wise".

Thank you, Tracy, for thinking of us and doing the run-around work on this good produce! And thank You, Lord, for Your mercy to America and for Your hand of bountiful blessing!