A.K.K.'s "Quarter-Acre Farm": Canning with A & K: Peaches

I spent last week touring farms and learning about agriculture in Aiken, SC. The Farm Bureau Association hosted Ag. in the Class, a course that helps teachers to integrate agriculture into their classrooms. I was one of two music teachers that took the class, and I had a great time! I am looking forward to incorporating information about our state's commodities when they align with music standards that I teach. Part of my mid-land adventure was a trip to Titan Peach Farm. We had the opportunity to tour the agribusiness, seeing how the peaches are picked, processed, and packed all on site. Only perfectly sized and shaped peaches make their way to grocery stores, leaving quite a few rejects. Expectations concerning produce being so uniform and pretty got me thinking about how self conscious we are conditioned to be as Americans. We can't even go to the store without being sold only the most perfect looking peaches.

I personally have no problem eating a fuzzy peach (they de-fuzz them for the grocery stores), or a slightly smaller one with an extra bump. In the past, A. and I have salvaged the good from peaches that have suffered brown rot, and as a result have enjoyed peaches all winter long. This source for free peaches was sadly eliminated when the peach trees across the street were cut down. As a result, I couldn't pass up the chance to bring home a bussel of seconds.

How much is a bussel of peaches? Enough to fill our dining room table.

Now once you have a bussel of peaches you can't expect them to sit around waiting for you to do something with them--because they don't. If you are not quick to process them you will end up with a lot of peaches for your compost. So, A. and I spent the next three nights canning.