Preserving the Goodness of the Seasons

There is something about the site of pretty jars that makes my heart go pitter patter....

 I have spent much time and effort collecting these little ladies. Garage sale, gifted to me, handed down to me, and auctions are my favorite places to find them. I had collected so MANY of them I thought there was no way I would actually ever really use all of them. By the end of summer, I had enough to fill up all four shelves of my three shelving units. This Spring this is what my pantry looked like.....BEFORE..........

I was out of many things and low on everything else. I had high hopes and day dreams of filling those empty shelves with beautiful produce, fruits, and sauces. Despite a terrible drought the good Lord blessed our efforts to the brim. I am thankful he provided us with such a bounty, and the encouragement to keep working hard all summer long in the terrible heat.
HARVEST BOUNTY TOTALS

 Before I give you a run down of what was accomplished I wanted to let you know that I didn't do it all by myself! I had FIVE helpers! Plowing, planting, pulling weeds, watering plants, moving sprinklers, watching timers, and then doing it all over again and again all season long. It was very hard work for the size of garden we took on this year, but boy ohhhh boy did we have a lot of fun!

 Green Beans: 80qts

 Potatoes: 14 qts canned, 2 BIG crates of fresh in basement

 Onions: I had enough to make all my salsa and sauces. I don't have a total number though.

 Salsa: 20pts, 28qts

 Green Peppers: I have enough for all the salsa and sp. sauce. I also have a gallon freezer bag for later.

 Corn:  53 pts, 14qts, 7 dozen ears enjoyed fresh from the garden

 Currant Jelly: 2pts, 9 small jars

 Sugar Snap Peas: I just planted enough to eat fresh from the garden. YUMMY!
Carrots: 3qts
Spinach: harvested several times, enjoyed by all

 Blueberries: 37.5 pts FROZEN I bought 30 lbs this year, hopefully in a few years they will all be from my bushes.....but that might take a few more years.

 Tomatoes:
Spaghetti Sauce: 43qts
Juice: 30qts
Pizza Sauce: 9qts, 3pts

 Ketchup: 8pts, 2 jelly jars I already know that I should have made MUCH more!

 Rhubarb: 8qts FROZEN, I bought 10lbs. this year, next year should be a great year for my plants.

 Strawberries: 18qts. FREEZER JAM

 Apple Pie Filling: 36qts
Apple Butter: 8 pts, 3 jelly jars
Apple Syrup: 2pts

Pumpkin Puree: not done yet

Concord Grape Juice: 34qts

I'm tickled pink that we have an ample honey supply as well! (120 lbs.)
In case you weren't counting that is around 464 jars of food that was processed. (This official count
does not include the honey, not the pumpkin stuff we have to process) that was processed!

Our freezers are full of meat and shelves are stocked with baking staples, and our pantry if overflowing with yummy goodness. I'm not sure what winter has in store for us, but I think we will eat well while we gawk at seed magazines and dream of Spring to come again soon.
 Here is the AFTER..........

HAPPY HARVEST!!!

I'm linking up to Homestead Revival Blog Hop.