Summer you may think? But it goes beyond that. The season I love is the season of food and herb preservation. The moment I have frozen or canned my first food, my heart feels lighter. The moment my first oils are infused, my body stands taller, my back straighter.
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In the last 2 weeks, 10 lbs of asparagus (not all mine, I must admit, but local and delicious none the less), 1/2 pound of spinach and over a pound of home-grown arugula were frozen. 4 pint size jars of lilac jelly were preserved. 1 pint size jar of plantain oil and 2 quart size jars of dandelion oil have infused. Nettle leaves were picked and dried, rose petals are being dried daily and yarrow, raspberry leaves, linden flowers and red clover are on the verge of being ready for harvesting. And last but never least, we’ve eaten from the garden every day, many times a day. Not to mention that wild fruit have started popping up on our daily walks and we couldn’t be more thrilled.
Many I know don’t understand why we bother. But for us, even though the process isn’t necessarily cheaper, definitely not easier, the results are immeasurable. I feel in control of my life, I feel connected to life, and that is something that money or time will never be able to buy.
Have a peaceful and happy day my friends.
Family, Faith, Food and Fabric 
It certainly is a good season, and it only gets better as we move through summer. Enjoy my friend.
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Yes it does… Such a busy and fulfilling time of year. I can’t wait to start my intermediate class for herbal studies in July. I have a feeling my forgaing will just get that much more amazing. 🙂
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Oh, look at those berries! I made two jars of jam today and canned two more jars of tomato sauce. I love food preservation too. I wonder how much better it would feel if I wasn’t able to grow food in the winter?
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I don’t know… I’m thinking that you guys have “seasons” for food as well and even though you can grow stuff, to have something from your pantry at a season when you normally would have to buy it but don’t have to has to feel pretty nice. But yes, having homegrown tomatoes in a jar in the middle of winter when BPA filled can stuff from Mexico and Ecuador is your alternative is a pretty amazing feeling! 🙂
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I hear ya about feeling connected, in control. Even if it’s “harder” there’s that satisfaction of knowing.
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Exactly… no guess work, everything is there because you put it there.
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“I feel connected to life”
that’s the magic right there!
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It truly is… I never realized how amazing living with the seasons could be.
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Wow–you’ve worked hard! But it’s so obvious that it makes you feel happy and fulfilled so keep it up!
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Thank you, it really does. I’m amazed at all that is available (in nature and from my own gardens and local growers) and what I can preserve. I’m also always looking into how I can use every part of the plant. Discovered radish leaves this year, discovered carrot leaves last year (amazing in soups and stews!), been using “scraps” like celery leaves and carrot peels in the dehydrator to make seasoning salts. It,s amazing what you can do when you just step outside the box. It’s been a great adventure.
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Fantastic. That all looks so beautiful! And lilac jelly? I had no idea…
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Thank you… I’m dehydrating more rose petals and some red clover as we speak. Smells so good in the house!
Found out about lilac jelly this year from multiple sites all around the same time. 🙂 I’m yet to try it. Waiting for company and a special occasion. Didn’t get to make much, that late frost killed most of our blooms.
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Oh, dehydrated rose petals! I can only imagine the smell! 🙂 I really admire you and your lifestyle philosophy. Yes, it is easier to just by ready to go food, but then it’s just that – food. But when you work for it, with it, create something beautiful, you create some special relationship with ‘food’, the nourishing energy and deep sense of gratefulness. Not to mention the good feeling of being self-sufficient, at least to some degree. I can imagine the feeling of producing your own food. Priceless!
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You’ve captured it perfectly. 🙂 Hope you get the pleasure one day… xo
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So how do you make the rose oil then? I’d love to hear more about it. I’m addicted to the essential oil, but it’s crazy expensive!!!
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I’ve never made essential oils. I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to help. Most of the petals I dehydrate are for tea. But I would think that infusing oil would be similar to any other. Gently bruise leaves into a Mason jar, pack and then fill with a good quality organic oil. Because of the delicate smell of roses, I would probably go for a neutral oil. Let it infuse by a window sill for 4-6 weeks. Hmm… now you have me thinking that soap made with rose infused oil would be divine!
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I’m loving my garden much more this year, and finding it very satisfying to be out there hopefully growing things that will become food for us. And a lot of the reason I’ve been inspired to get out there more is from reading along here. You and Kim are my main motivators! So thank you very much.
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I’m so happy I can inspire… I actually feel very honored that you’ve put me in here with Kim because she is my biggest inspiration. I hope you’ll post pictures of your garden again soon. 🙂
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Amen to all of this, especially the last sentence 🙂
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🙂 xox
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You are amazing! My garden is one of the things I’ve “let go” this summer due to having a newborn, and as much as I know that I could not physically or realistically keep up with it, I do miss it. We still have kale & storage onions planted, and plan on planting carrots, but we’ve given the bulk of our garden to the chickens this year. You sound like quite the preservation pro! I need some preservation training, I think. I would love to hear more about the lilac jelly, specifically!!!
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Thank you… I can totally understand letting the garden go for a year, You have so much on your plate. When my son was born, we had still decided to go full steam ahead and ended up with a garden that was over burdened by weeds and growing horribly all summer. I’m waiting for a special occasion to pop open that first jar of lilac jelly. Maybe this week-end : My in-laws are on their way from Pennsylvania as we speak an should be arriving tonight. 🙂 I will give you news for sure.
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