Honey and Jam

This summer we have decided to try to get back to some of the more natural things. In our hurry to be more efficient or to get more done we have lost some of the joy that comes in making and doing things. This summer we decided to make blackberry jam and also harvest Darcy's honey. The blackberry jam was hilarious as my kids have a little bit of addictive personality like me and had to keep on picking and picking- we filled a 5 gallon bucket- so the jam turned out great- first time was a success which pleased me as i envisioned making tons of jam and having only one batch turn out:) The kids loved that they got to help and actually got a little hands on schooling done in the middle of a very relaxed summer. Yesterday we harvested the honey. It is a fun process and Amelia usually ends up sick to her stomach as she is like a little bear and cannot stay out of the honey while we are getting the frames ready to go in the extractor. Wonderful blesssing of living in a small rural town is that the cooperative extension office has an electric extractor we could borrow. It is nice to take time to do somethings that are different and where the kids have to see you taking care of things and tending to them and then what they produce. We have not done so well with the garden this year- it continues to produce large amounts of tomoatos', brocholi, and green beans. Everything else in it has been a flop. Here are a few pictures from the wonderful summer!!