Home Grown Apples

     Saturday Barry & I drove up to Aunt Shirley & Uncle Merts apple ranch in Yucaipa, California where they own Snow-Line Orchard.  We got 2 bushels of culls (2nds - not good enough to sell, but good enough to eat) and 2 gallons of apple cider.  Since Sunday was the Sabboth Day we left our apples in their boxes & went to church, came home, had dinner, took a nap & then visited with our Home Teacher & Visiting Teacher (who happens to be our Bishop & his wife).  Early Monday morning we were ready to can our apples.

     Two bushels of apples weigh just under 100 lbs, in case you're wondering.  Right off the top I took out about 3-4 lbs for my friend in exchange for 15 canning jars, then we went to the grocery store & bought 2 dozen more jars & some cinnamon since I  somehow let myself run low.   When we got home we washed all the jars in hot soapy water, then I started boiling water in my pressure/canner for the water bath.

     Barry went to work with our apple-peeler-corer-slicer gadget Aunt Shirley gave me & I mixed up a batch of Apple Pie Filling & brought it to a good strong boil that couldn't be stirred down.  I put my jars & screwbands in my boiling water long enough to sterilize them & then dipped my lids the same water just enough to soften the rubber seal a bit.  When Barry had enough apples to fill 7 quart jars I packed the apples in tightly, then laddled in the hot syrup.  I used a plastic knife inside each jar to let out the air bubbles, then I plopped on the lids, screwed on the bands til snug & then placed each jar in my boiling water.  Once the water started boiling again (this took just a few minutes because the jars & the filling were already hot) I set my timer for 20 min.
  
    Twenty minutes later I placed my hot, sealed jars of Apple Pie Filling on the counter & got ready for a batch of Apple Syrup using my peels & cores (with a cider, sugar, cinnamon & nutmeg).   Seven quarts of Apples gave me 5 quarts of Apple Syrup.  Mmm, the house smells so good. 

    Today we used 15 lbs of apples for 2 kinds of Apple Butter:  1) using the peels & cores (nothing goes to waste in our house); & 2) using just the apples.  We also canned 9 half-pints of Unsweetened Apple Sauce. 

     We still have 70 lbs of apples to can!!