Our Bee Guy brings up the bees every spring via semi-truck. When he gathers them all back to our place in the fall to go home to Arizona, he always leaves a case (yep – and it’s huge) full of fresh honey for us. Well, this year we received a pleasant surprise. He gave us a 25-pound bag of fresh oranges from his orchard – WOW! These are some huge oranges:
I have no clue why the bag says California (maybe he sells to them?). I do know that they are fresh sweet and juicy – oh and ½ this bag is now gone (and it’s only been two days – hee hee).
We sat and discussed different ways to preserve these beauties for future use. The first idea was dehydrating. Then came freezing, juicing and freezing the juice, and some other ideas. Then we hit upon orange marmalade. We make all kinds of jams and jellies, but never tried marmalade.
I grated the orange peels and froze for future cookie use. Then we juiced and stewed up a recipe (we love our Ball Preserving Cook Book – woo hoo!!).
It worked:
Made up a dozen of the cute little ½ pints for future Christmas gifts. Then had enough for a couple of full pint jars and 1-half of a pint jar. The ½ pint we now have in the fridge so I can have it on toast with peanut butter later today (yum!!). I have to taste-test everything we do, wouldn’t want anyone to get sick right? LMAO!! Yes, that is my excuse for all of my food testing. We have to make sure it is good enough to share (ok can’t stop giggling at myself now – sick woman that I am!! Ha ha ho ho ho)
These are the two big cuties – yum! So glad it worked! Happy, happy, joy, joy (doing my happy dance – hee hee)!
HELBERG FARM STORIES 
Made my first home made marmalade this year. There is something so good about the process – and eating it! Enjoy!
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AWESOME!!!
I do love some marmalade!
I tried making it a few years ago but butchered it. So I never tried again! (Yeah, I’m a coward!)
BTW… It could also be that the bag is just a bag he got hold of. We have eggs from a friend with chickens and they come in Sainsbury’s egg boxes. *shrug*
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It turned out loverly! Now my sister found a recipe for pork using horseradish and marmalade – perfect timing. We found some chops in the freezer so this will be our next yummy delight! Too bad we don’t have any duck hiding in there – LOL!
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Chops spread with marmalade? O.o
I coat mine in honey…. But marmalade? That’s a new one on me!
Duck in orange is AMAZING… *OH SO INCREDIBLY* expensive though. WAY out of our league
If any batches go wrong and they are overly thick you can mix it with a little water and freeze it as an icepop (popsicle?)!
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That looks more like a happy chicken dance to me. lol Glad you were able to find a good use for all the oranges.
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It is my happy dance and I’m sticking to it – lol. We have tons of birds here, its the best way to celebrate anything. also – my sister gets a huge giggle over the way the birds follow me all around the farm. I cannot be in a garden outside without someone trying to steal my worms – LMAO
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Yay! Such fun! Home canning is the best.
Blessings, Leigh
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i agree – and for our first attempt at marmalade, i’m so proud it worked – woo hoo hee hee
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