Applesauce

We got our yearly apple order in October and then followed our tradition of making applesauce!

I set aside a day just for this project, hoping to get it all done with only one mess. Due to various issues we didn’t actually get started until about 10:00am so I mentally prepped myself to still be washing dishes after the kids went to bed. Little did I know what kind of team I had.

Eden and Iris loaded apples into the washing sink.

Lance and Ivy chopped. I think Lance alone chopped well over a bushel by himself.

All the kids took a turn with the hand crank, though the oldest 3 did most of this as well.

Skye tasted.

Eden helped me by washing jars, while I ran things back and forth between the stoves.  Once we got the process started we operated like a well oiled machine! At one point, my brother stopped by and things looked so fun he had to lend a hand. Wish I had a picture of that Tom Sawyer moment.

We did stop for a little fun along the way – I told them about bobbing for apples and the idea was so intriguing they all had to try.

All my helpers were so focused and skillful that we finished the four bushels by 4:00!

60 quarts of applesauce.

7 1/2 gallons of cider. (note: the pink comes from the red apples – so pretty and tasty too!)

Brian got home early and my sister volunteered to watch the kids so we got an unexpected date night to finish off the day! What a reward!

Later that week Brian and the kids sliced and bagged apples for the freezer while I read aloud – reminded me of times from my childhood, putting up food while my mom read.

These apples sure do bring about fun times and we look forward to eating the applesauce all year.