Hot Damn, Peach Jam!

My mom and I planted the peach tree as soon as we got settled in our little house back in '97. It was to mark our new adventure here in Austin and nothing makes me happier than to see our little tree covered in fruit! I have no idea what variety it is, but I know that if we have a cold, wet winter, we'll have fruit! From what I've read, you need between 400-750 chill hours here in the hill country to set fruit and I'm guessing that mine is closer to 750.

I knew nothing about growing fruit trees back then and chalk the health of my tree up to pure luck. I pruned it whenever I felt like it needed a haircut, never once fertilized or watered it but for the past several years have stuck to the thinning, which leaves a mess of marble size balls all over the ground for the bugs n' birds, I always save a big bowl for my neighbor Hai, who is Vietnamese and grew up eating unripe peaches with salt! It's nice to share before they're even ready!

Dorothy is excellent company in the garden. After she's chased away any birds or squirrels she slows down and investigates the plants, she actually closes her eyes when she smells flowers, she's pure sweetness. She also snorfels up the rotten peaches that have fallen to the ground...it's nothing I encourage, but it's also something I can't control...plus she loves them...flies and all.

The bounty minus the 'greenies' still sitting outside on the table in the sun.
I didn't count them this year, but my last harvest was 3 years ago and I stopped counting then at 200. Thinning really makes the difference. The rule of thumb, is one peach per 6 inches...which means that you thin up to 92% and it seems crazy when you're doing it, but a mature tree simply can't hold the weight of all that fruit and you can damage the tree, mine is already bifurcated (when the main trunk splits) so I take this seriously. I fill the sink about halfway, then wash'em good before the dirty work begins.

And this is what I mean. I leave the peaches out for a few days to soften before I begin and once you move the bowls there are always a few worms that have jumped ship. The enemy: plum curculio beetle larvae...eating it's way through the peach flesh. I don't mind sharing though, it beats spraying or dealing with chemicals.

There's the little guy.

And this is more like what you find in each peach, several worms.
The chickens got 5 big cereal bowls full of brown peach flesh, pits and worms...by the last bowl they were getting kinda bored.

Once they're cleaned and de-wormed though, they're just the same as any other peach, only they're organic...and the processing is one of the reasons you pay more for organic food.In all the batch I only found one perfect peach...when I cut it open, sure enough...no worms. Hard to believe they missed it...they're so thorough.

Always have a secret ingredient...or it ain't yours!

So, in my big beer brewing pot, I fill it halfway with peaches, add a cup of lemon juice, and a packet of pectin...half the sugar, about 2 1/2 cups (organic), half a jar of pickled jalapenos and cook it long enough that the peaches are soft and 'gooshay' (that's for you Ellen!) After it's up to a good boil, I add another 2 1/2 cups of the sugar and drop the heat a bit. The secret ingredient goes in at the beginning as well!

mmmm, makes the house smell wonderful!

Spouse picked up a few dozen jars at the Minimax and that's just about right! I fill 'em right off the heat and turn them over to start the sealing process.

There's enough for another 'plain' batch or I can keep 'em for smoothies and Margaritas....hmmm what should I do?

What you see there in the Bonne Mama jar is all that was left over!

Just to be sure of the seal, I pour boiling water over the top and let them sit for a spell. The carpenter showed up just at the end and I got distracted...otherwise I listen to hear each top pop as they cool...I'm hoping they're okay. Here's my favorite sandwich recipe with CherylAnn's Jalepeno Peach jam add peanut butter, Tillmook cheddar cheese, arugula fresh from the garden on homemade bread...it's got everything! sweet, salty, nutty, creamy, spicy, cheezy, and fresh! Much improved from the plain ole PPJ of yester-year!

Yum! If anyone has some pickled okra or beans or such and would like to trade some of my yummy goodness for yours, lemme know! Making jam isn't a science, it's a passion and you can't really go wrong with good ingredients and an attitude of love!

Happy Gardening!