It’s nearly midnight and I can’t help but wonder where in the world my day has gone. I have put in easily a 12 hour day on one single task and my house is a disaster, the laundry barely caught up, and we had frozen pizza and green beans for supper. And the green beans were just an afterthought since one of my jars didn’t seal for me earlier today.
I sometimes find myself forgetting how much work truly goes into canning and preserving the garden.
And the commentary in my head as I am working is probably very entertaining.
“Oh, perfect- I think I will get lots of green beans today”
After plant 6
“Oh my goodness, could there be anymore green beans I am not even half way done.”
After plant 10
“Seriously, this cat. Why does it really need to be right in my face as I am picking these green beans”
Plant 12
“Why on earth did I let Jason talk me into planting this many green beans”
Plant 20
“Almost done. Which is good because if I get bit one more time I might freak out about Jason not spraying the yard in the last two weeks”
Plant…I am not even sure how many I planted- a lot!.
“Finally, finally done. That wasn’t so bad. I am so glad I planted this many plants”
Elliette has been gone for the last ten days. And I had really big ambitions while she was gone of blogging, blogging, and blogging. But, as it turns out my garden went crazy. Well, my green beans went crazy. And my peppers. So, I was so excited to finally get canning and freezing.
About day four of picking green beans I was totally trying to remind myself of how much I love having garden produce in the winter.
Because I totally do.
But, picking in the garden is hard on your back and your knees. Which I can totally pick through. But, what is driving me nuts is the bugs! Oh the bugs this year!
And once I spend an hour getting my beans for the day I spend another hour at the sink washing them and snapping them and getting them ready for hot jars and for cooking.
Needless to say most of the time Elliette was gone I spent canning and working in the garden.
As I spend my time in the garden swatting bugs and then carting in all my goods into the kitchen I can’t help but appreciate those that did this whole process years and years before me. Not because they wanted to, like me, but because they had to.
My kitchen is perfect for canning. Lots of counter space, a working stove- with four burners, a dishwasher that is perfect for sterilizing jars, top of the line canners. Not to mention having an amazing shelving system in my basement for perfect, easy, accessible storage. And running water right at my finger tips. The process for canning is easy in my kitchen.
It amazes me how far along technology has come, and how easy it has made our lives. The agricultural advancements never cease to amaze me. As farmers we have come so far; far enough that I don’t really have to can if I don’t want to. And for the most part it is a lost art. I don’t have to grow a garden if I don’t want to. I certainly don’t have to spend hours upon hours canning all that garden produce in my kitchen.
How lucky are we that these advancements have been made? That it is easy for us to drive to the grocery store and have fresh, affordable foods right at our fingertips. And of course, the development of candies and junk food- my husband would most definitely not survive if those things had not come about.
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