when life gives you strawberries...

last week wednesday, one of the staffers here received a donation of flat upon flat of strawberries. with over eight pounds of strawberries, what is one to do? make jam, of course. so, as a family, we set about doing just that. fruit, sugar, lemon juice, and pectin? check. sterilized jars? check. lids on tight? check. then all we could do was sit back and wait for it to gel. as my mom and i watched "so you think you can dance" in the living room, we began to hear the tinkling pops of the lids sealing down on all the jars.

earlier that day, i was thinking back to one of my favorite books, animal, vegetable, miracle by barbara kingsolver, and the inspiration that it was for me to embrace real food, and make a commitment to extend those values important to me down to the foods i choose to eat. last winter, it was rather difficult, and on a tight college budget, it's hard to reconcile spending a few dollars more on locally-grown knobbly root vegetables, when all i really wanted was a huge spinach salad. compromises were made, and i found new joy in sweet potatoes, squashes, and onions.

part of my plans for moving into my grand new life included getting a bread machine, food dehydrator, and a huge pot. armed with these things, and an avid frequenter of the farmers' markets that promised to abound in southern california, i would enjoy local food, befriend local farmers, and move my diet to a more sustainable bent. visions of making dried fruit and dried tomatoes, canning huge jars of tomato sauce, freezing parboiled produce, and enjoying it all with fresh bread every week.

some of those dreams, like others, i've had to lay aside for the time being. fortunately, i live in the heart of east texas farming country, and although no trendy farm stands dot the road like they do in new england, plenty of folks have booths up in their lawns, vending the fruits of their backyard labors. our garden is overflowing with zucchini, tomatoes, and formerly green beans (the heat finally got to them), and as we begin turning things over, i'm pushing my parents toward a fall garden with potatoes, onions, and winter squash.

granted, i am far from being a home-grown food expert - our strawberry jam never quite gelled. it still has that bright summer strawberry taste, but we'll have to settle for a thin strawberry spread. my handful of experiences with gardening aren't much to go on, when i think of it, but i am excited for the adventure of learning more, of spending some quality time with my dirt, wherever i am, to learn about its needs, cultivate its health, and support the growth of food for me, and of course for others. because, in the end, what i'm most looking forward to is having friends and neighbors over, feeding them with the food of my garden, and celebrating the goodness of this life.

strawberry spread, anyone?