A Family Farm Tradition - Plum Crazy Jelly

On a recent trip to my father's farm, the chores were divided between my brother, my husband & myself.  OK, there were only two chores - painting the in the kitchen & making plum jelly. Weirdly enough, I was the painter & the men were the jelly-meisters.  The master-meister was my dad.  They began their canning with already extracted plum juice. Using the recipe below, my father guided us through the jelly making process.

Life is about sharing the fruits of the farm. These sweet little jars allow us to bring a piece of the farm home.

​ Farm Sweet Farm!  
​

Plum Jelly with powdered pectin

• 5 cups plum juice (about 4½ pounds plums and 1 cup water)
• 1 package powdered pectin
• 7 cups sugar

Yield: About 7 or 8 half-pint jars
Please read Using Boiling Water Canners before beginning. If this is your first time canning, it is recommended that you read Principles of Home Canning.
Procedure: Sterilize canning jars and prepare two-piece canning lids according to manufacturer's directions.
To prepare juice. Sort and wash fully ripe plums and cut in pieces; do not peel or pit. Crush fruit, add water, cover, and bring to boil on high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Extract juice.
To make jelly. Measure juice into a kettle. Add pectin and stir well. Place on high heat and, stirring constantly, bring quickly to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Add sugar, continue stirring, and heat again to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute. Remove from heat; skim off foam quickly.
Pour hot jelly immediately into hot, sterile jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel; adjust two-piece metal canning lids. Process in a Boiling Water Canner.
Hot Pack - Jar size half pint/pints
Process Time at Altitudes of
0 - 1,000 ft - 5 minutes 
1,001 - 6,000 ft - 10 minutes
Above 6,000 ft - 15 minutes

My father's farming skills are not limited to feeding cows & entertaining grandchildren with tractor rides. He is an all around kind of guy.