Life is Peachy!

This year for the first time I canned peaches! I have lived in New England my whole life and until this year, for some reason never realized I could get locally grown peaches right down the street.  I always thought they did not grow around here?
 I noticed last year while picking blueberries at Ward's Berry Farm that they had peach trees and a sign that said Pick your own Peaches!  So I accually remember this summer so go back!

I bought a flat of peaches, well accually a box.  There was 17 pounds for $28.00.
Many of you may not know this but I am allergic to most RAW fruit!? I started when I was 20 years old, all of a sudden after a life time of eating raw friut I developed an allergy? Anyway I can not eat peaches unless they are cooked or canned.  I love peaches!  I wanted to also enjoy fresh locally grown peaches too! This was my soulution.
With help from my mom and this wonderful book...Ball-Complete-Book-Home-Preserving,
I got started!

1. After washing them because although they are locally grown they are saddly not organic. I placed them in boiling water for 1 min.







2. I dipped them in ice cold water...this makes the skins slip right off!








3. This is my mom spipping off the skins,cutting them in halve and taking     out the pit.  Thanks for helping mom!






4. I dipped them into a solution of 4 cups water to 1/4 cup lemon juice. This keeps the fruit from turning brown.





5. I dont have a pic of it, but next I used a slotted spoon to layer the peaches into the hot jars, that were in the canner waiting.  I layered them pit side down so they would fit nicly in the jar and then laddles boiling water into the jars leaving a 1/2 inch head space. Then I slid a plastic stick in the jar around the peached to release the air bubbles. I put the lids on next.  Then I put the jars into the canner and water bath processed them for 20 mins for pints and 25 mins for quarts.



6. TA-DA! Now I have 8 pints and 6 quarts of nice, yummy canned peaches!!  It really was easy, it took us 2 1/2 hrs including processing time for 2 batches.