Pears and Strawberries

Hey Y'all! Fall is in full swing here in Upstate NY, with winter closing in quickly, although we are having some warmer temps right now. It's been raining the past couple of days which has helped the leaves really start to pop! Before they were just really dull, but now they are getting that fall glow about them. It's beautiful and my favorite time of the year!

I've been canning. A lot! I had all those pears that needed processing, plus all those strawberries in the freezer. I've finished up with the pears and hope to finish the strawberries today. I didn't end up with as many pears as I would have liked and by the time I went back to the tree, the colder temps had gotten them all. So notes for next year, make sure you get ALL the pears at one time! Anyway, I think I ended up with about 8 pounds of pears and got some pear cranberry chutney and some pears in syrup. I had a long list of things I wanted to make, but the Mister asked for just plain pears in syrup. So, of course, I obliged.

As for the strawberries, I picked about 12 quarts back in the spring and, so far, have strawberry syrup, strawberry vanilla jam, and strawberry cranberry jam, with plans to make more syrup and strawberry lemon marmalade.

That should wrap up canning season nicely. I still want to buy some cranberries after Thanksgiving and can some stuff with that. I need to find my notes on what I want to make, but I know I want to try making my own cranberry juice. And maybe some fancy cranberry chutney.

I've been working on my little homesteading business. I have another commissioned hat, plus I'm still working on things for the online shop. I'm having so much fun with my new job and with my homesteading, and homesteading business! I'll post more updates soon.