Fruit of the Harvest Gifts

Late summer and early fall brings fresh fruits and vegetables and that can mean wonderful Christmas gifts.  Most people do not look at an apple tree or fresh tomatoes at the Farmer's Market and think "Christmas gifts" but you should.  Different parts of the country (or the world) have fruits or vegetables that are plentiful in the area that can be used for gifts.  Not only can you take these wonderful fresh items and make gifts, you can also make your Christmas gift money go further.

For many of us we can think back to our grandmother's pantry or cellar and think about all the shelves full of homemade jams, jellies, soups, salsa's, pickles, etc., remembering fondly the fresh taste that only comes from that homemade touch.  Consider this Christmas making and giving some gifts created using fruits of the harvest.  Know someone who loves strawberries?  Give them some homemade strawberry jam.  Give someone the fresh taste of apples by making some crock pot apple butter - easy to make but ohhh so good!  If you find yourself with too many tomatoes in your garden (or someone else is offering them from their garden) make some tomato soup, salsa, or spaghetti sauce - then pair it up in a basket with all the items to complete a meal or snack time.  The ideas are endless - just do a search on the internet for the fruit or vegetable you want to make something with - it is really easier than you think!  Happy Canning!

By giving canned items whether it is a jar of pickles or their favorite jam, one thing is for sure - you can make your Christmas gift money go further by creating these wonderfully delicious goodies.  This year I am making some wonderful applesauce, apple bread, and crock pot apple butter - all from apples that I picked for free from a friend's apple trees.  The apple sauce and crock pot butter are being canned and the apple bread is being frozen with names on the baggies so I remember who is getting them.  The only things I really had to purchase were new lids for my jars, some flour, sugar and pectin - everything else I already had on hand.  My cost for making 24 apple breads, 12 jars of apple sauce and 12 jars of apple butter came to just over $20 for 48 gifts!  Now all I have to do is put it in a cute Christmas gift bag and I have a wonderful handmade gift!  Your cost may be more for doing canning if you have to purchase jars but I have found that if you ask around many people have jelly jars in their cabinets they are more than willing to give away, leaving you only to purchase lids and bands.  While you can make this type of gifts at other times of the year but if you are able to purchase the ingredients when they are in season at your local Farmer's Market your price will be much less and your items will taste so much better.  Consider asking others for their "too much" supply of any fruits or vegetables as well as jars to inexpensively making some gifts that capture the fruit of the harvest.