Jam

We have made a lot of jam this year. Of all the harvest activities, I enjoy jam-making most. The kids love it, it tastes better than store-bought, and it can be done in 30-45 minutes with minimal cleanup. This year we made about 50 jars, which should carry us through the year: four boxes of apricot, raspberry, blackberry, mixed berry, plum, and plum berry now stacked in the basement.


I was making a batch last week while my nephew Isaiah was visiting. He and Seth brought in a bowl of blackberries they had picked and announced they wanted to make jam. I told them I was out of jars, so we wouldn't be able to do it. They went back outside and returned a few minutes later, not dissuaded.


"We're going to make jam by ourselves. Where's the smasher? (a small wooden tool for smashing the berries)"


I got distracted and didn't supply the requested smasher. They go back outside.


"Where's the sugar, Mom? We need sugar now."


"I thought you needed the smasher."


"No, we just used a rock." They proudly show me a bowl of smashed berries, plus a few extra bits of leaf, grass, twigs, etc.


"Oh. OK, here's the sugar." I dump a big scoop into their pot. They go back outside.


"We need some bread. Our jam is done."


Tastier than mud pies, I guess. Anyone else for jam?