I am very excited. You could say I am “berry” excited.
My sweet friend Kelly, The Everyday Home’s Garden Contributor, is back
with another post in her fabulous series Your Garden from A-Z.
If you’re new here, let me introduce you to Kelly. She is the host of
My Soulful Home. Even though she has been blogging for less
than a year, Kelly is a natural. You will love her style of writing and her
photography, but what I love most is that her heart and soul really does
shine through.
She also has an Etsy Shop with some amazing Vintage finds like this
darling Bavarian creamer below..
Kelly has a great surprise for you that you will LOVE. I can’t wait for you
to read all about it – so let’s get started.
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Summer has a taste.
It is the taste of just picked, sweet, warm berries. Can you conjure up that
luscious flavor? See the stain on your fingers? Feel the sun on your back?
You can enjoy all that and more when you grow your own berries.
It is very easy to do. Any berry you see at your local farmers market
you can grow at home.
Here is the basic information you need to start producing the
“taste of summer” at your house:
- Berries like a very sunny spot;
- Acidic soil is a must ( so compost with plenty of coffee grinds );
- Strawberries, blackberries, boysenberries & raspberries produce after
- about one year or less;
- Blueberries take about 2-3 years to produce fruit;
- Raspberries, blackberries, boysenberries grow on thorny canes ~ attach
- to trellises or allow to grown in brambles;
- Blueberries are grown on bushes;
- Strawberries grow in clumps with runners or can be grown in a container.
I know that you’re going to be wildly productive berry farmers so you
will need to find ways to use the pounds of berries your plants
will produce.
This being the case, please meet my friend, nurse, crafter and all around
Renissance woman, Danalynn. Danlynn is sharing with us her recipe
& tips for making the best jam I have ever tasted. And that’s NOT ALL….
A lucky reader of The Everyday Home and My Soulful Home will
win a jar of pectin-free homemade boysenberry jam and the hard
cover book Mes Confitures The Jams & Jellies of Christine Ferber.
This volume is not only lovely, it is bursting with wonderful recipes
for preserving your bounty. Follow the directions at the end of this
post below to enter the give-away. Good luck!
Danalyn’s Boysenberry Jam:
INGREDIENTS:
- 2.25 lb boysenberries;
- 3.75 cups sugar;
- 1 lemon juiced.
STEPS:
- Wash the fruit thoroughly & dry;
- Place fruit, sugar & lemon juice in a big pot;
- Mash up the fruit with the sugar & juice with a wooden spoon;
- Continue mashing until all combined;
- Heat slowly while stirring;
- Ladle off the foam;
- When the mixture reaches a temperature of 221 degrees &
- coats the back of the spoon the jam is ready for jarring.
JARRING:
- Wash jars without lids & place in oven on a cookie sheet @ 235
- degrees for 5 minutes;
- Simmer lids in a pot of water ~ simmering prepares the seal so
- it adheres (do not boil );
- Take sterilized jars from the oven;
- Ladle jam into the jars leaving 1/4 inch at the top;
- Make sure no jam is on the rim ~ wipe clean;
- Take a lid from pot & place on top;
- Screw on the lid ring;
- Turn jars upside down & put back in oven for 5 more minutes;
- Remove from oven & turn right side up to cool;
- As the jars cool you will hear a “pop” sound. This is the seal working;
- If you do not hear the “pop’ sound from a jar, you can still enjoy it ~
- Just do so soon & refrigerate;
- The jars that “pop” can be stored for months in your pantry.
That wasn’t hard, was it?
It just takes patience and time to make a yummy jam that you & yours
can enjoy for months & months. Frankly, the jars will probably empty
long before that because your jam will taste so good. Homemade jam
also makes the perfect gift for teachers, co-workers or anyone. So
spread the love ~ share your jam!
Now, best of luck to those entering the give-a-away! It is not required
but would be nice of you to follow our blogs The Everyday Home
Also, a Facebook “like” would be much appreciated, but is not
required to enter.
If you have any questions about growing berries or jamming feel
free to contact me through My Soulful Home or leave a question
here. I am excited about next month already – so if you have a
suggestion for Your Garden A~Z -“C” speak up ~ don’t be shy. 🙂
Thanks Barb and see you all again next month!
** Kelly **
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Thanks Kelly!
See, I told you it was exciting. What a great giveaway, huh?
Oh yea…there is one more small thing. Along with the book and a jar
of jam, Farmhouse Decor will also add a
Set of 3 French Grain hand towels.
(source Confessions of a Plate Addict)
All that is required is that you leave a comment below with what your
favorite Summertime berry is. You can earn “extra points” by liking our
Facebook and Pinterest pages. The giveaway will be announced next
week during “Tasty Tuesday.” Good luck, everyone!
(ps – Rafflecopter is having “issues.” If you do not see the Contest Box to enter, simply click on the
“a Rafflecopter giveaway” link. You must use the Rafflecopter sign-up form to qualify.)
Don’t forget that Home{work} Wednesday will be live tomorrow
at 8pm, so have you best home-related projects ready and
see if you can “Make the Grade!”
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Nana Diana says
What a great post and what a fun giveaway. You will laugh but my favorite berries are some I can’t get here- elderberries. They grew wild in Penna. but they don’t grow here. They are a deep dark “berry” and I love them in pies and jam. My mother made batches of it in the late summer- xo Diana
View CommentNana Diana says
Just so you know- I can’t get the link to The Soulful Home to load-it gives me an Error 404 message-thought you might want to check it.
View Commentkelly says
Thanks Nana Diana…I let Barb know…www.mysoulfulhome.com
View CommentGood Luck,
Kelly
GERI CLIFFORD says
IT IS A PLEASURE TO HEAR THAT IN TODAY’S “TECH WORLD” WOMEN ARE EXPERIENCING THE JOYS OF SIMPLY MAKING AND SHARING THE JOYS OF GROWING AND CREATING THEIR OWN JAMS AND JELLIES AS WOMAN HAD TO IN THE DAYS GONE BY. IT IS HARD WORK, BUT REWARDING, AND PASSES ON TRADITION AND LOVE TO ALL WHO TAKE THE TIME AND EFFORT TO SHARE IN THIS PURSUIT. BRAVO TO ALL WHO FILL THOSE JARS!!! (GREAT THERAPY TOO-SOOTHES THE SOUL!!!)
View CommentCindy Eikenberg says
Such a lovely post, ladies – thank you so much for sharing and for the giveaway! I love all summer berries, though my very favorite is raspberries. I have you both have a wonderful day and fantastic week!
View CommentTami says
Oh, I have to pick a favorite?? Well, I guess blackberries, except in June when the strawberries come on, or late July when I freeze blueberries and keep enough out to make a blueberry cobbler, or …. Too hard to pick just one, I guess! Can’t wait to try to make jam. Who knew it would be this easy?
View CommentInspire Me Heather says
Ohhh that’s berry good! We’re just starting to make our jams here (mostly blackberry), it’s going to be a great season for it too – looking forward to it!
View CommentYvonne @ StoneGable says
Barb, Picking a favorite berry is like picking a favorite child!!! All are delicious… but if I must, I’ll pick raspberries! We had wild raspberries on our “hill” of our old house. I really miss picking them!!!!
View CommentWhat a beautifully done post. The photography is amazing and there is a wealth of knowledge here! I have loved reading every jam filled, sticky word! Just put Kelly’s blog on my blogroll!
I too, am an avid canner! Nothing beats homemade. I would love to win this giveaway. Fingers crossed! Thanks for the yummy and pretty prizes!!!!
See you Thursday!!! xo
Leslie @ House on the Way says
My favorite summertime berries by far are strawberries! I remember picking them as a child and loving it. Thanks for the great giveaway!
View CommentJayne says
I love the wild black berries that grow EVERYWHERE here in CT. Thanks for the recipe and great giveaway!!!!
View Commentjayne@daiseyjayne.com
Recreate and Decorate says
I have always wanted to learn how to make jam! Maybe I will give it a try, thanks!
View CommentPat Peele says
Love strawberries and blueberries!
View CommentCindi Knight says
I love blackberries and blueberries – the Girl Friday test kitchen is making Blueberry Hand Pies this week. Will let you know how that goes! I have never attempted to make jam, but it’s on my list of things to explore. I love that all the things my grandmother did on a daily/weekly basis are coming back to us – sewing, knitting, jamming. Great life long skills to learn and share with our kids. As always, love all that you do!
View CommentMeg says
Strawberries are my favorite for snacking. Blueberries are my favorite to bake with. I love this site! I can’t wait read more!
View CommentMeg says
Strawberries are my favorite for snacking. Blueberries are my favorite for baking!
View CommentMarty says
I love strawberries for jam and peaches for pies and jellies… Thanks for the chance at the giveaways
View Commentelizabeth says
My favorite summertime berry is the blackberry! I love homemade blackberry cobbler & blackberry jelly is my all time favorite! I also like strawberries and…
View CommentMary Alice Patterson says
I love the summertime berries. It’s hard to choose just one, but I guess I’d go with strawberries.
View CommentLovely giveaway!
Mary Alice
mommahen says
Strawberries!
View CommentKimberly D says
I pinned the jam recipe. It sounds delish!
My favorite summer berries are blueberries and strawberries!
View CommentMargot C says
Blueberries, I love them. I can recall picking them at camp in Monterey, Tennessee when I was a kid and I have loved them ever since.
View CommentLisa Cooper says
I love strawberries!
View CommentMarty@A Stroll Thru Life says
I love strawberries. I use to help my mom make tons of jam when the berries were in season. I havn’t made any in years. Gorgeous teatowels too. Thanks for joining Inspire Me. Hugs, Marty
View CommentLydia says
Love love love blackberries!!!
View CommentLeslie in Oregon says
I love all edible berries, but my favorite summertime berry is the raspberry. Naturally, I prefer the heirloom varieties that are not mass produced. We grow as many raspberries (of 3 varieties) as possible, along with our 4 blueberry plants, in our backyard. Sadly. our garden is becoming more and more light-compromised as our neighbor’s rhododendron bushes grow up and up. That will probably be the key to getting me out of our longtime home (and into a smaller house with a light-filled garden)! Thanks for offering this delightful giveaway! Leslie the Berry-Lover in Portland, Oregon
View CommentDocia Fuller says
The best berry issssss blueberrys!!!!!!
View CommentLinda says
tried to sign up fo your newsletter…got #8625…”too many attempts from this address” message…even though it was my first time to try…love your blog will try to remember to follow.
View CommentBarb says
Sorry Linda – I will let Mailchimp know. If you email me at admin@everydayhomeblog.com and let me know what email you wish to use, I will manually sign you up. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by. ~Barb
View Comment