“I think it’s important for people to keep growing their own food, because you get something that’s not all loaded with chemicals and stuff; something that’s better for you. It’s economical too, especially if people are on lower incomes.”
Unlike most of us, Hope & Louis never have to run to the store for a bottle of jam, because they grow a bounty of berries in their backyard, which they supplement with wildberries Hope picks herself. In this video, Hope walks us through her technique for making freezer jam; an alternative to cooked jam.
“I never cook jam anymore, I always make freezer jam,” she says. “I find the flavour is like fresh berries.” The process is so easy she walks us through it in 30 seconds, and 3 simple steps.
Her berry of choice is the raspberry. She preserves them as jam so they’ll last over the winter. The video has picking tips, preserving tips, recipe tips, and more.
For example, to avoid that big clump of frozen-together berries we’ve all battled with when we open a bag of frozen berries, Hope’s solution is to lay your berries on a tray (lined with parchment paper!) before freezing them. Once frozen on a tray, you then transfer them to a bucket, bag, or Tupperware, and your berry-bunching crisis is averted.
She loves gardening as a hobby, but sees growing our own food as something vital for us all to try.
“I think it’s important for people to keep growing their own food, because you get something that’s not all loaded with chemicals and stuff, something that’s better for you. It’s economical to grow your own food too, especially if people are on lower incomes.” She’s not wrong: she and Louis grow enough potatoes to last their household most of the winter.
Food First NL’s 8-part SCOFF video series celebrates, preserves, and shares a wealth of traditional food skills from seniors in Newfoundland & Labrador.
