Putting Foods By

Well, its that time of the year that that our beloved mothers, grandmothers and the other women of the "good old days" were busy little beavers...Gathering the squash-beans- tomatoes, black-eyed peas etc. from their garden and most likely using the skirt of their apron to carry some of it to the awaiting bucket or basket. I don't think that it was a dreaded chore for them--it was just simply what they did in the summer--preparing and preserving food for their families to eat during the long cold winter when vegetables would be scarce unless they had thought ahead and canned the wonderful tasting vegetables and fruit.
The shelling of the peas, snapping the green beans, peeling the peaches etc. etc. was most often done outdoors underneath the shade of a tree and hopefully a gentle breeze to cool the sweat of their brow. Visiting was abundant while their hands were busy snapping, shelling and peeling. If you had a storm cellar more than likely you stored the jars of can goods on shelves in the cellar. The earthen cellars were the most common and I am here to tell you that most of the time when entering one--well lets just say that all of your senses were on high alert--pretty spooky and I have never found many things that I considered spooky. Rattlesnakes were very fond of the cellars and considered you a trespasser if you walked down those dirt steps. Having little showers of the loose dirt to fall on your head wasn't a hoot either. Being the strong and brave women that they were it was a simple matter to them to go below into the dark cellar and carry out the empty jars that had been saved from the previous year. The washing and scalding the jars was next. The "goodies" from the garden and orchard were prepared and put into the jars--now the BIG ole pressure cooker got into the act --goodness I remember the hissing sound they made and all of the vibrating--sounded like it was going to" blow" at any minute. Mom always made the children stay out of the kitchen when the cooker was on the stove. If anyone needed anything from the kitchen she always sent me into the danger zone for whatever it was. Guess I was the brave one OR maybe the stupid one---??
I have been so hungry for black-eyed peas--maybe its just that time of year that makes me think along those lines..you know what I am talking about--black-eyed peas, fried squash, hot buttered corn bread, fresh tomatoes , fresh onions and top it all off with a fresh peach cobbler or fried pie.
I will close this little chit chat while you digest your food and I will go churn my butter for the next meal---