Wilkinson Family Farms: "Now That I Have It, What Do I Do with It?" a Beginners Guide to Preparing and Preserving Your Fresh Produce

By Anita Wilkinson

Fresh corn cut right off the cob, a bushel of peas, fresh baked blueberries muffins from those berries you just picked; no, this is not a scene from days gone by, it is still possible to get that fresh taste you remember as a child.
For areas that have local Farmers Markets, you know the food you are buying is fresh and local. This book will help even the novice at preserving foods to be able to easily prepare and preserve fresh, healthy foods for your family.
This easy step by step book will show you what type of produce is best for preserving, what equipment you will need for freezing as well as for canning your fresh fruits and vegetables. Try the recipes which are made from those fresh fruits and vegetables.
It is important these days that we know where and how our food is processed. With all the scares over the past several years, isnt it time we take charge of what we put on the table for our family?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 23, 2008
• ISBN: 9781462826483

Anita Wilkinson

Growing up and then raising a family in rural Northeast Florida, farming has always been a way of life for us. The long days of Spring and Summer meant many hours of preparing and canning food for the winter months ahead. Then came the days of vending at our local Farmers Markets, which I love and doing so, I discovered many of our younger generation doesn’t know anything about preserving food. Realizing this, I decided the best way to help is to make the information and a little knowledge and experience available to those who want it.

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Copyright © 2008 by Anita Wilkinson.

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Contents

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

PROCESSING

AND

PRESERVING

YOUR

FRESH PRODUCE

RECIPES

FOR YOUR

FRESH

FRUIT AND

VEGETABLES

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to my family. To my husband, Doug, without the many years of our working side-by-side and learning about farming and raising produce from you, this venture would not be possible.

To my children, Darrell, (Crystal), Beverly, (Danny) and my wonderful grandsons, Conner, Caleb, Carson and Chase. I hope the family tradition continues for generations to come. (Names in parenthesis are the spouses of my children which I consider as my children also.)

Thank you to all the wonderful people I have met at the various Farmers Markets I have had the pleasure in vending at.

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

Wilkinson Family Farms is a third generation farm. It began back in 1931 when Maxie Wilkinson and Effie Mae Harris married and settled down in an area located in Northeast Union County.

Farming was in the blood of most people in those days because it was the best means of putting food on the table. With a family of ten, it took quite a bit of food.

Mr. Maxie was a preacher as well as a farmer. During that time, tobacco and strawberries was the main crops for this area, although other vegetables were grown to be sold and to be used to feed the family.

When the opportunity arose, Mr. Maxie was able to further his education by attending the University of Florida in Gainesville to become a teacher. He would go to school during the day, get home usually after dark and still had work to do. He would climb on his old cub tractor and plow his garden by the tractor‘s headlights.

With Doug, (my husband) being the youngest, he got to see his dad do a lot of this.

Times were never easy on the farm, the money was tight, but as long as the good Lord blessed with good weather, there was always food on the table to eat from the garden.

Years passed by and those eight children grew up and moved away from the farm, with the exception of Doug, the youngest. After his tour in the Air Force in the late 60‘s, he returned home, went to Lake City Community College for a couple of years on the G.I. Bill. He then decided to become a Federal Firefighter at NAS Cecil Field in Jacksonville, Florida.

In 1977, Doug and I met and were married a year and a half later.

I was the youngest of five children belonging to the late Leon and Rhoda Moore. My parents