Ball Jars and Baby Kitties... My Visit to the Farm

I recently made a trip north to visit my Grandma. Since I was "in the neighborhood" I made a point to stop and visit my dad. Of course we had a nice chat and I entertained him (not so much) by playing "You are my Sunshine" on my harmonica. I got to see two teeny-tiny baby kittens in the quoncet and I mourned the loss of some beloved trees that were removed because they'd taken out some power lines in a recent storm. Then while I sipped my afternoon coffee, my dad and I talked lefse. He made his first attempt at the art of lefse making last week and was disappointed with the results. Since I did make 18 batches of it last fall, I had a few words of wisdom and that felt nice. I think he'll try again soon and I've no doubt it will be perfection.

Before I left the farm he decided to load me up with a pumpkin, some potatoes, an onion or two, some carrots (still in the garden) and some canned goods. First off, we set off to fetch the carrots and discovered that some very resilient and determined deer had beaten us to it and the remaining rows of carrots were mostly all rooted out of the ground and eaten by deer! Apparently, my pa has never seen anything like it. Then he decided to show me his pantry and I think he was pretty pleased to see my amazement. Yeah, my dad has been canning all fall. He sent me home with beet pickles, dill pickles, salsa, green beans and he had a lot more on those shelves. Those canned goods aren't the sort you find at the store... they are the real deal made with a pressure cooker. He had several kinds of salsa, whole tomatoes and more.

I am sure to some this seems a bit odd, but my dad has always held a number of roles. He can cook and likes to make delicious meals for his guests. They are often nothing short of a thanksgiving meal on an average day. His gardens produce a lot of produce and something must be done with the harvest. So canning is a must. I think he's a bit like an experimental scientist who likes to try new varieties and different planting times with the garden and that carries over to the kitchen where he's not afraid to try new things as well. I am excited to sample the goods I brought home and am eager to see if my lefse tips will prove helpful.


P.S. I grew up on that sort of canned good stuff... we never bought store bought canned beans or dill pickles... Those Ball jars are loaded with nostalgia as well as green beans and it makes me miss that.