Storing Up Food

I will always be a New England girl at heart, but one of the reasons I DO like living in Pennsylvania is that it's still "rural" in many parts, which means that many people practice somewhat old-fashioned practices such as farming and canning produce. I had never canned in my life until 2 summers ago when I made strawberry jam and then applesauce with my sisters-in-law - and it was so much fun!

Last summer I didn't get to do a whole lot, produce-wise, because we had just bought our house and I'd started my job. And then this summer I didn't get to do strawberries because my

ginormous baby belly got in the way of picking those berries!

Two weeks ago I did manage to cut up and freeze 1/2 bushel of peaches, which should be nice this winter for making cobblers and crisps, in addition to Luke's baby food (I'm going to try to make as much of his food as I can.)

Two nights ago my in-laws gave us 15 heads of corn from their garden, so yesterday I shucked it, boiled it, and cut off the kernels to freeze. If you have never had garden-fresh sweet corn, well...you just haven't lived! It is so delicious.

It is so easy to freeze your own corn - I definitely recommend it, even if you have to pick some up from a local produce stand. You won't regret it when in the dead of winter you heat it up for dinner and voila - a little scoop of late summer in your mouth. :)

My one piece of advice: make sure you clean up quickly afterwards. They don't call it cornstarch for nothing. :)

What do you like to can or freeze? If you make baby food, what have you found to be successful (or not)? I'd love some more ideas!