Fresh Fruits and Vegies

As a child I never particularly liked canned apricots, but I sure do remember being part of the crew to pick and process them. I couldn't let my own children miss out on that great experience! (Here's Brad being my helper years ago.) Since none of them like plain canned apricots either, we discovered that they're a yummy addition to smoothies or slushies.

We also discovered when we moved to Florida that we missed the bounties of California's Central Valley. I'm not sure where our grocery stores shop, but it's just not the same. So I was excited when I was invited to be part of a group that takes advantage of the local farmer's market. It's really been a lot of fun, and has helped our food budget as well. We've tried things I never thought my kids would like - fresh pineapple, kiwi, mango, starfruit, eggplant, garlic and green peppers - along with the standard apples, oranges, corn, potatoes, tomatoes, and onions. This week it was my turn to go, and I thought I should take a camera to document the experience:

And while they didn't have apricots, they did have boxes of peaches, so I was able to dust off the canner last night. That should satisfy my canning desires for another year!