What began with a small strawberry harvest turned into a sweet day of fellowship, hard work, and homemade goodness for the Winston County Self Help Cooperative. The strawberries were transplanted by farmer manager, Rev. Alonzo Miller, on November 17, 2025.
The day before, on Monday, Ms. Pamela Obryant and Mayla Odom harvested the strawberries from the WCSHC Campus. At first, they weren’t sure the harvest would be enough. But when they saw the strawberries, big, bright red, and full of sweetness, they knew they had something special.
By Tuesday, the rest of us gathered, ready to turn that harvest into something more. Mayla Odom quickly stated that she was putting the women to work. Then we stood together around the table and began cutting the strawberries into small pieces. It didn’t feel like work—there was laughter, storytelling, and the simple joy of being together.
Once the strawberries were cut, it was time to mash them. We pressed the strawberries down until they became a juicy mixture, the smell growing sweeter with every stir. Next, we measured out five and a half cups of smashed strawberries, and the powdered pectin was added slowly while another person stirred to thoroughly incorporate it and prevent clumps. Then it was taken to the stove to come to a rolling boil for one minute.
After the one-minute rolling boil, we added seven cups of sugar instead of the recommended eight cups. The pot was then placed back on the stove, and we took turns stirring to make sure the mixture didn’t stick, until it reached another rolling boil for one minute. Slowly, it began to bubble and thicken, transforming into jam right before our eyes.
When it was ready, we carefully poured the hot jam into jars. Each jar was filled with care and set aside to cool, holding not just fresh strawberry jam, but the story and the hands-on experience of how it all came to be.
This day was filled with a united effort, full of learning, laughter, and memory-making. By the end of the day, we didn’t just make jam—we made memories, proving that even a small harvest can grow into something meaningful when people come together. We ended the day enjoying warm homemade bread and strawberry jam that didn’t make it to the jars. Everything was delicious.
