Last Summer's Jam

I'm unsure why, but it was only last month we opened the first of last summer's jam. Strawberry is always the one we start with. We use the Early Glows, they're first to ripen, petite, really sweet and my kids go crazy over them. The method we use to make our jam maintains the integrity of the fruit, think cutie strawberries in syrup rather than gelatinous, red globs. All it takes is the initial quick glance in the jar, that intense aroma that announces "summer's hear," if only for the time I'm having my toast and jam, to make any gray day shine.

Why am I telling you all this? It's amazing the change preserving food has had on me and my family. Are we self-sustaining? Not even close. Will I buy jam at the grocery store when we inevitably run out before summer? Begrudgingly. Do we eat fresh foods that are locally grown out of season? We try not to, hence the wonder of the homemade, homegrown strawberry jam in January. Do we eat things that come from more than 100 miles away. Yes, but we're conscious of each decision we make. Here's what I'm trying to say. Put away what's easy, what you like and what you know you'll eat. Don't stress about what you haven't done and savor every bite of what you did save.

About a month from now I'll start reminding my favorite strawberry farmer to save me the best Early Glows. Of course, his family always gets a jar from the first batch.