By: Mayla Odom
It was a day filled with learning and camaraderie at the Winston County Self Help Cooperative building, 2948 Highpoint-Weir Rd, Louisville, MS. On May 14, 2024, at 11:00 a.m., Mrs. Rosie Harris, a seasoned canner and an esteemed member of the WCSHC, led a group of four participants in a hands-on strawberry jam-making session. Mrs. Harris, who has been making jam and preserves for years, shared her invaluable knowledge and skills, keeping alive the traditions passed down to her by her mother. Her enthusiasm for teaching was evident as she guided participants of all ages through the process, inspiring them to continue the tradition of jam-making.
Today was very educational, and she gave thorough instructions. Harris had all her material ready:
- Five and a half cups of crushed strawberries
- One pack of Sure Jell
- Eight cups of sugar
- Six-ounce jars
Mrs. Harris started the process by sterilizing the 6oz jars in a pot on the stove for 15 minutes. Mrs. Harris had her strawberries mashed prior; she added the crushed strawberries to a boiler and the Sure Jell, ensuring she incorporated them well.
Next, she placed the pot on the burner and began to stir; she instructed participants that they would need to let this boil for 1 minute. Once the strawberries boiled for 1 minute, she took the pot off the burner, incorporated the sugar, and stirred until the sugar dissolved; then, she returned it to the burner.
Lastly, she checked the jelling process and let the jam come to a rolling boil for 1 minute. This process is critical to avoid overcooking the jam. After one minute of a rolling boil, she sifted off the foam from the top of the mixture and began to jar the jam up. She showed how to fill the jars correctly, and Ms. Clara Cooper volunteered to help her with the finishing touches.
Mrs. Harris wiped the rim of the jars with a damp paper towel and placed the lids on top. The last step consisted of placing jars in the boiler once more for 5 minutes to ensure no contamination. The five minutes were up and taken out of the boiler. Each participant took some delicious strawberry jam home. We hope they will add it to their daily lives.
I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Warner Hall of Hall Farm, Greensburg, LA, for his delicious bounty for today’s workshop and to Ms. Rosie Harris for her gifted hands in making the strawberry jam, which is, “Muah, chef’s kiss.” Their contributions and efforts have made this workshop a memorable and successful event.
Be sure to view photos from this event, watch the event on Facebook Live, and view the recipe below.
