Pomona's Universal Pectin Saskatoon Jam

I have been looking for alternatives to the high sugar pectin I have been using. I just hate adding 7 cups of sugar to 5 cups of fruit, so I was happy to discover Pomona's Universal Pectin. The pectin in Pomona's doesn't require sugar to set, it sets with calcium.

Pomona's costs more than the usual pectin, but it also makes 2 to 4 settings of jam. With the smaller amounts of sugar,  I think the cost of Pomona and Certo's about the same.

Freshly picked Saskatoon berries

Saskatoon Jam

I tried my first batch of Pomona's using Saskatoons. I just used the blueberry recipes. Instead of sugar, I used honey. The resulting jam was delicious.

Berry Picking

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Yesterday, I made Saskatoon jam, and it reminded me of my parents. They used to go picking every summer, and then my mom would put up a batch of wild blueberry jam.

I remember picking with them. I hated it. I would get hot and sun burned, and usually make myself sick from eating too many berries. And when we would all gather for the picnic after we finished picking, I would have the fewest blueberries in my pail.

It's funny but I think those are my fondest memories now. I imagine we did a multitude of things as a family, but only a few stand out in my mind, and berry picking is one of them. Sometimes, my dad would bring along his 22 and we would practice shootings at beer cans after lunch.

I wasn't much of a shot then or now, but I am a better picker. I still eat lots of berries when I pick, so much so, that I can't quite meet the eyes of the people at the upick places when we weigh out.

Kildeer

Amazing camouflage.

We came across this nest a day ago. It is very amazing how the eggs are so well hidden in plain sight. I am not sure if this is a viable nest as there were no signs of the adults. I will check again tomorrow.

This would be the second set of eggs for the season. I love how at the end of the summer, there are kildeer all over the farm, each practicing its acting. It is like being surrounded by a thousand tiny ham actors, all trying to lure you away with their broken wings.

The Garden at the Start of Summer (Maybe)

The garden as of June 30, 2012

The gardener standing in front of the mock orange

 The garden is growing very fast due to the excess amounts of rain. 

The strawberries are ripe now, but the have had too much rain. They taste more like water than berry. Same with the raspberries and cherries. They have a hint of flavour, and are no doubt still very good for you.

There hasn't been too much trouble with bugs, mostly because it is too cold.

The cabbage and the onions are all very content. It is only the water logged gardeners that are complaining!

Lush new growth due to the endless rain.