The Joe and Jill Chronicles: Being "Green".

"To preserve is to maintain something in its original or existing state." Joe and I spent our weekend bottling veggies and fruit with our good friends Drew and Stacey Tyler. While bottling is a lot of work it is a lot of fun too. I love the process of preserving and cooking. I'm excited for the day Joe and I have our own home with a garden of tomatoes, zucchinis, onions, garlic and whatever else we decide to grow. I love the idea of growing my own veggies and then preserving them so we can enjoy the flavor of home grown food all year long. Preserving veggies and fruit is my way of being "green". This day in age there is a lot of pressure to recycle and "be green". If you don't have your own garden buy from local farmers or farmer's markets. Take home the produce and bottle it. Bottled food can last up to a year or longer. We bought our veggies and peaches from local growers. I also bought our raspberries and blackberries from a local fruit stand. I can't stand the idea of all that great locally grown food going to waste!

While bottling raspberry/blackberry jam this morning I was thinking about my mom and aunt June bottling tomatoes when I was a child. I was very young but I can remember they would start at the crack of dawn and go all night. I remember they would talk about everything and anything together. These are memories I'd like for my own children to have. One difference I noticed is Joe and Drew bottled with Stacey and I. When I was growing up bottling seemed to be considered "women's work". I love that Joe and Drew enjoy being in the kitchen with Stacey and I. We had a blast and I love making memories with my husband and friends. Hopefully one day our children will be able to look back and remember when their parents spent all night and day canning and cooking and talking and laughing and enjoying each others company.

We bottled: Salsa, Tomato Sauce, Spiced Peaches and Peach Butter. I also bottled Raspberry/Blackberry jam.

Part of the canning process.