I stored the peaches in the garage to finish ripening, to lay them flat and to keep them out of the way while I worked on other peaches. |
I was peeling, cutting, removing seeds and processing about a basket-full a day.
All told, it took me almost 2 weeks to completely process 71 pounds of peaches. I would work on them at the table every day for as long as I could stand it. My hands got sore and crampy from peeling and cutting that many small peaches. My shoulders cramped from sitting in basically the same position for hours at a time. Thank goodness I had Young Living Panaway and Young Living Stress Away. I used Young Living Panaway on my hands to relieve the cramping and I used the Young Living Stress Away to get rid of a massive headache I got from sitting in that one position for hours on end. (And I do mean massive. The headache was one that 2 Aleve normally wouldn't touch. Stress Away relieved it in less than an hour.)
peach jam |
I ended up with 3 pints of peach-pineapple jam with almond extract (totally yum!), and 13 pints of peach jam, and 5 really full gallon bags of frozen peaches. And the whole family ate peaches all day long for the last two weeks.
I am really happy about this, because this is the first harvest for me that really feels abundant. I have been grateful for every harvest I have ever gotten, but I would read other blogs and think, "That isn't how it happens here." So I am really glad for something that feels abundant.
You can see what others are harvesting at Daphne's Dandelions Harvest Mondays.
**I do distribute Young Living Essential oils. If you are interested, you can sign up through this link.
We had our first peach harvest last year. It wasn't nearly as abundant as yours. I dream of that kind of harvest. Though I have to split my peach harvest with my townhouse mates so I'll never be quite that inundated.
ReplyDeleteOther than the 8 peaches (not pounds, peaches) we got last year, this is our first harvest.
DeleteThis is the kind of harvest that would make it easier to split it with your townhouse mates.
That is certainly a haul of peaches. Your hard work will pay off when you are enjoying your own fresh preserved peaches in the future.
ReplyDeleteYou are right. It's actually already paying off. We keep pulling the frozen peaches out to have for breakfast. Yum. :)
DeleteThat's quite a harvest! You give me hope that my baby fruit trees will one day be productive.
ReplyDeleteJulie, your baby fruit trees will produce. Hang in there. :)
DeleteWow! What a wonderful peach tree harvest. I only got a few last year but was thrilled with that! Nancy
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nancy.
DeleteYippeee!! What a haul of deliciousness!! I am so happy for you. I bet those peaches will serve you all very, very well over the coming months. I can totally see what you mean, too, about the abundance. I am grateful for every homegrown scrap of food, but when they are truly abundant it really makes me feel I am on the right path, doing the right things, and that my labors are more than worth it.
ReplyDeleteBeth, I really appreciate your words. Thank you. I am really glad that you mentioned the abundance. I like the way you put it when you said, "it really makes me feel I am on the right path, doing the right things, and that my labors are more than worth it." That's truly how I feel. :)
DeleteAnd having planted a peach tree this year I can only hope that in due time I am celebrating my own bounty of peaches!
DeleteMe, too, Beth. I can't wait to read that you are harvesting a bounty!
Delete