Food: Cherry Jam Recipe

Remember the cherries we picked for Mom yesterday? Now they are Jam. Sweet, yummy, jam! Eleven jars to be exact.

We ate it with our blueberry muffins and it was delicious!

Many thanks to my wonderful Momma who is so very sick {needs another kidney transplant} for making the jam. I took two jars home and left the rest for her and Dad.

Next time, I'm gonna make it for her! 

*Edited To Add* 

I spoke with Mom tonight and she explained to me how she made the Jam. I figured I'd pass that info on to you. 

  We picked the cherries for her from the tree in our yard, but you could buy them too.

First she washed the cherries. Then she put them in a pot/cooker with a little water and cooked them; pits and all. Once they cooked she put them in a strainer and used her hand to push on the cherries to remove the juice.

Have all your ingredients measured out before you start the jam making process. 

Take about four cups of the cherry juice and a pack of Jel Ease and bring it to a hard boil. Remove from heat, add five cups of sugar. You can add two teaspoons of lemon juice if you are using sweet cherries. Mom didn't use it. After adding in the sugar; bring the mixture to a hard boil again and boil for two minutes. Finally add to your jars. 

Here is a step by step photo tutorial from Pick Your Own.

I am sharing this tutorial at I'm No Chef's cooking challenge. This weeks theme is Cherry. Stop by and check out the other submissions.

Family: Long Afternoon

After Michael came home from work, we picked a few cherries for my Mom. She said she may make some jelly with them.

There were many at the top that we couldn't get to.

This should be enough for a couple jars of jelly, right?

Don't they look yummy?

Then we went for a ride on the 4-wheeler and let Bai ride his motorcycle. This was the first time we have ever let him ride anywhere but in the driveway. He done really well.

On the way home we saw some wild roses and Michael cut these for me. *swoon*

Once we made it to the the house I locked Foghorn and the gang up in the coop and we watered my flowers.  I tried to sneak a pic of Michael watering and this is what I got. LOL.

By the time I got the kids ready for bed, the sky was looking so beautiful.

Now we are off to bed, another long day tomorrow.

I shared this post at Homestead Revival's Barn Hop. Stop by to see the other submissions.

Cherry Pickin'

Are your cherries ready to pick?

We have three large cherry trees in our yard and at the moment they are covered in bright red cherries.

The boys LOVE them.

 I picked a few yesterday to snack on. Some were sweet, but most were sour. Sour enough to lock your jaws.

 I need to drag out the step ladder and pick them all before the birds do. Not sure what I would do with them though. Freeze them maybe?  My Mom has been known to make cherry jam. I'd like to have some, but I don't know if I am adventureous enough.

My parents live just a hop and skip down the road and all their cherries trees have died out over the last couple years due to a black blight that has been spreading. I noticed yesterday that there were a few black knots on one of our trees. I hate to see them die, but I don't know what I can do to prevent it. Anyone have experience with that?