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Berry Picking and Jam Making {Giveaway: Ball Canning Discovery Kit from Kmart}

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This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Jill from Find Us Faithful whose comment number was chosen via random.org. Thanks to all who participated!

We are in the second full week of summer and have already marked several things off of our 2012 Summer Bucket List. It has been a great one so far!

Today we had the opportunity to head out to Happy Valley Farm in DeSoto, Kansas to do some blueberry picking. We were slightly too early in the season to get a whole gob of blueberries, but we can’t wait to go back! If you live near DeSoto and are looking for a small, family owned, chemical free farm to experience picking all different kinds of berries, you’ll be treated great and will love the personal experience you get at Happy Valley Farm.

I was bound and determined that this summer, I was going to make jam. We didn’t get enough berries picking today to make a batch of jam, so I stopped at the store on my way home and bought some blueberries. I came home, expecting jam to be a huge long process, only to discover that with this new Ball Automatic Jam Maker appliance I received from Kmart, it’s a quick, 30 minutes at the most, kind of deal. I gave a few jars of the jam out to neighbors and hope they think I slaved all day over a pot of berries to make their jam. I love them enough to do that, but in reality, this jam making project was quick and easy!

Since it is the start of jam and jelly making season, it might be good to know where you can find all the supplies you need to complete your summer canning projects. Online, Kmart carries the Ball Automatic Jam and Jelly Maker, which is perfect for people who want homemade jams and jellies in 30 minutes or less. In stores and online you can find all the other canning supplies you might need, like Ball jars, Citric Acid and Pectin food mixes.

If you are interested in learning more about canning, or finding out what canning experts have planned for this canning season, make sure to join Kmart and the canning experts for a Twitter Chat on Wednesday, June 6th from 12-1pm CST.For info and to RSVP, visit this link. By the way, they’ll be giving away 3 of the Ball Automatic Jam and Jelly Makers during the chat!

Ball Canning Discovery Kit Giveaway Details

My friends at Kmart wanted to give those new to canning the opportunity to win a Ball Canning Discovery Kit.

The kit includes: Polypropylene rack with separate, fitted lifter that works in large stockpots at least 7½” tall and 9½” in diameter, 3 x  1-pint jars, an Illustrated, simplified canning instruction Recipe book.

To enter the giveaway simply leave a comment on this blog post letting me know what your first canning project would be. For additional entries:

  • Share a link to this post on any social media site (Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, etc). For each site you share this post on, you gain another entry into the giveaway. Please make sure to leave a separate comment on this blog post for each place you share the giveaway link at. (The Shareholic buttons at the bottom of this post make sharing very easy!)

All entries must be received by midnight, CST on Monday, June 11th. Winner will be chosen via random.org and notified via valid email address.

Now, would you like to see how easy it was to make homemade blueberry jam using the Ball Automatic Jam Maker? I have no idea what all is involved when it comes to making jam without this nifty appliance, but I can tell you… this was so easy I feel like if the berries were available, I could make jam each and every day! Here’s what I did:

 

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Homemade Blueberry Jam

A 30 minutes or less recipe for making wonderful, homemade blueberry jam using the Ball Automatic Jam and Jelly Maker and recipe booklet.

Ingredients

  • 2 2/3 cups crushed blueberries
  • 3 Tablespoons Ball® RealFruit™ Classic Pectin
  • 1/2 teaspoon butter
  • 3 1/3 cup granulated sugar

Instructions

  • Clean berries under cool water, then drain thoroughly.
  • Crush berries one layer at a time using a potato masher. Measure required quantity of crushed berries and remaining ingredients for your recipe; set aside.
  • Sprinkle pectin evenly over bottom of the Automatic Jam Maker Pot fitted with the Stirrer. Add crushed berries evenly over pectin. Add butter/margarine to help reduce foaming.
  • Press the jam button – the cook time will automatically default to 21 minutes. Press enter.
  • Wait 4 minutes for appliance to sound 4 short beeps indicating that it is time to add sugar. Add sugar gradually while Stirrer continues running. Place the Glass Lid on the Pot.
  • The Automatic Jam and Jelly Maker will continue to automatically stir your ingredients while it cooks. Stay within earshot of the Jam & Jelly Maker, the appliance will beep again at the end of the process signaling jam cooking is complete. Press cancel, unplug the appliance and immediately remove Glass Lid.
  • Remove stirrer using a pot holder. Skim foam, if necessary, from top of jam.
  • Preserve the jam immediately.

 

This is a sponsored post and giveaway on behalf of Kmart. All opinions expressed are my own.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Cindy Whitsett says

    Oh yum! I would love one of these!!! Blueberries are definitely my favorite, so I’d try the Blueberry jams.

  3. Heidi @ Bits of Sunshine says

    I love blueberries, but I must admit, I have never seen them growing or picked them fresh – I think our climate is too warm for that (I really wanted to grow some!!!) and now I really wish I had lots and lots of them – this jam looks amazingly tasty! Yum! And very cool jam maker! Makes the whole task a bit less daunting!

  4. Amy Tong says

    I always make my own jam/preserves and didn’t know such a convenience jam maker is available out there! Nice.

    amy [at] utry [dot] it

  14. Donna Howard says

    I think my first project would be strawberry jam, since I can find strawberries real easy in the market.

  16. Jenny G says

    Canning is on my list for this summer with the kids! I didn’t know about this machine until I saw it. So cool. This is our first year doing a garden so I would say we would can extra tomatoes and make strawberry jam because we have a strawberry picking field down the street. Love your blog!!!

  18. Aimee @ ShugarySweets says

    I had never seen or heard of this nifty appliance! I make strawberry and blackberry jam every year, the old school way. Oh how awesome would this be? Especially in time for my red pepper jelly!!!! Keeping fingers crossed 🙂

  21. Mellisa W says

    Grape jelly. My grandmother made it and I would love to, but never had the equiptment. Thanks, and thanks for bringing back the memories.

  24. Jett says

    I would strawberry and blueberry jam! I’m so excited to teach my 14-year-old daughter how to make jam this summer! It’s on our Summer Bucket List!

  25. Judy Garczek says

    Gosh, this machine looks really nice. I have made jam in the past, but always without such a machine. This would be a lovely addition to my kitchen appliances. I think my favorite jam is raspberry. Yummy!

  26. Lissa says

    I didn’t know these machines exist! I would love to try my mom’s strawberry jelly!

  29. Laura says

    I’d do a strawberry jam first…then Blueberry. YUM. Your site is awesome. Thanks.

  30. Julee patterson says

    How cool!! I would make pineapple peach jam and hot pepper jelly. Yummo!

  32. Ginger Riggins says

    I have never tried canning anything but would love to start. We live in Southern California and are finding out about all the wonderful fresh fruits and vegetables they have almost all year long.
    My first attempt would probably be some sort of fruit…maybe strawberry.

  35. Julie Reynold says

    We bought a place in the country and I have a plum tree, I did not know what to do with them except eat straight from the tree and take some to my co-workers. But if I had a jam maker I would definately make plum jam and share that with my family and co-workers. So please pick me.

  36. Carrie T says

    I would LOVE to make Red Raspberry Jam.. the kids and I LOVE LOVE that jam.

  39. Candes says

    My first project would be to can my garden green beans or tomatoes. We give out of our abundance but I’d like to store some for future use, say for winter time!

  40. Shari says

    I really want to start canning. I’d start with Meyer lemon curd because my lemon tree is telling me it’s harvest time.

  41. Barbara says

    I’ve made watermelon jelly for a long time and it is wonderful, so I’d make a batch of that! I’m sure this would make it tons easier! 🙂

  47. Janet says

    Raspberry and black raspberry and blackberry are my favorites, and blueberry… and strawberry…. ok I like berries! Jam is easy to make, but I can sure see the advantage of having that automatic stirring going on in your jam maker!

  48. Aggie says

    I would LOVE to make this blueberry jam! It looks so good! Thank you for the giveaway!

  49. Lori H says

    I would love to make pickles. I haven’t worked up the courage to attempt it just yet.

  50. Ellen H says

    I think I would make Christmas gifts of jams and jellies…I have a host of
    friends who love Strawberry and I like Orange marmalade so those are
    the two kinds I would try first.

  59. Lethea B says

    I’d make some Blueberry-Lime Jam=)
    This is just a jamtastic giveaway, Thanks bunches!

  62. Annie brezek says

    My husband made blueberry jam but I don’t think his looks like yours . Someone said it was different & that makes me afraid to try it . Maybe I will.

  63. Tickled Red says

    Awww…what sweet photos. I’m so jealous that you guys are already out of school. We are almost there but not yet. LOVE the Blackberry Jam! Blackberries are my favorite berry of all. xo

  64. Dianne@Baking4Six says

    Great post – I’m craving jelly now 🙂 – The twitter party had lots of great advice – now I’d really like to win one of these handy kitchen gadgets!! 🙂 Crossing my fingers… Thank you!

  65. Jen says

    I think I’d love to try strawberry or lemon with a hint of mint. This machine sounds amazing – I’ve never tried jelly or jam making before. I can’t wait for pumpkin season to try making pumpkin butter!

  67. Stephanie Kowal says

    Cherry Jam, I have a cherry tree in my backyard that has delicious fruit. Homeade jam is the perfect gift or party favor with a cute personalized label!!

  70. Kristi O says

    I would make Strawberry-Fig Preserves! I see the tree I’m gonna borrow my figs from everyday out my office window!! Heehee!

  72. Patty T says

    My first canning project would be to make strawberry jam. I can get TONS of strawberries cheap from the farmers around here and have always debated about making jam and canning it.

  73. Jenny says

    Oh Kristen that looks so fun! Canning is one of the millions of projects I have always wanted to try my hand at but have decided I would have to wait until the kids got bigger because it seemed so involved – but that machine looks awesome!
    It would either have to be peach jam or cherry – my two favorites!
    Also glad to know about the DeSoto farm – years ago (when there were only 2) I took my kids blueberry picking but it was way south and east of here – can’t wait to look up the one in our area! Thanks for the great info! 🙂

  74. Gina says

    SO COOL!!! Like I said on Instagram- I have been wanting to do this for FOREVER. I would start with strawberry for sure-

  76. Linda D says

    I just picked over 8 lbs of blueberries from our local blueberry farm would love to win this so I could share my bounty

  77. Robin Whiting says

    I want to make jam too, it will be my very first attempt! I’m hoping to use fresh strawberries from my garden.

  78. audra bell says

    It would be pear preserves or plum jelly, just like my mommy use to make.

  95. Irish Catson says

    I love the photos. Your kids are really enjoying on their visit at Happy Valley Farm in DeSoto, Kansas. It is really enjoyable doing this blueberry picking. By looking on the photos, I love to visit that place with my family.

  98. Mary Beth Hunt says

    When I win this, I will make JARS of Rhubarb Jam and eat it all by myself. 🙂

  101. Erin---Salsa Mama says

    I would make red plum jam, just like my Grammy used to make! A close second would be anything with cherries. Would love something like this…it would be a whole new adventure for me.

  106. samW says

    never seen this – it is AWESOME!!! Wow would love to win. I would definitely make this blueberry jam, but actually our strawberries come on first, so would start with strawberry & also some strawberry/rhubarb

  107. Lisa says

    Wow! This is so awesome. Would love to win it. I would make blueberry jam.
    I receive your emails and love them!

  108. Kelly S. says

    I really want to start canning. I would probably start with strawberry jam. We just picked strawberries from the farm near our house so it wold be a great project.

  119. Annie says

    I would try to make strawberry vanilla jam, something I saw on a food blog not too long ago that sounds wonderful!

  121. Claire says

    Wow! I do love jams.. Thanks for sharing this with us. I think i am going to try your recipe this coming week end.

  125. Whitney Schmale says

    My mom makes blackberry jam every year. I’m planning to make blueberry since we picked 20 pounds of them just last week! Thanks for the recipe!!

  134. Holly says

    I think my first canning project will involve cherries since I am going cherry picking very soon.

  135. Sarah L says

    According to my garden, my first canning project this summer will be picked banana peppers. Closely followed by Raspberry Jam 🙂

  136. Debra Bland says

    My first project would be to make watermelon jelly. My second project would be apple jelly. Love them both. They both remind me of summer.

  137. Barbara P. says

    Wow! This is so awesome. Would love to win it. I would make blueberry jam.

  140. Rochelle says

    I would make strawberry jam first than peach. Never canned before but I always wanted to learn. Homemade jam is so yummy. Thanks!

  145. Lisa D. says

    This is just the jump start I need to start canning…which I’ve never tried but I’m excited to learn. I would make your blueberry jam recipe with blueberries from my garden. Thanks!

  148. Kaitlin says

    I’ve really wanted to try canning, and would love to make strawberry jam as my first project.

  149. Andrea says

    Absolutely would make blueberry preserve – Hub’s favorite! I joke that he eats blueberry preserve with a little biscuit underneath.

  153. Jill says

    I’d love to try canning some pickles and salsa. I hope to have a great crop of cucumbers and tomatoes this summer that would make it a fun and easy project.

  159. Sharon says

    My first canning project would be something using tomatoes from my garden–salsa maybe. Thanks!

  165. AmyK says

    Thank you! My jam-maker just arrived today and my kids LOVE blueberry jam! Been looking for a recipe for it 🙂

  166. Lorraine says

    I would love to make this!!! Thank you for posting. I am trying my best to stay away from added sugar and artificial sweeteners. My sweetener of choice is Stevia, but I also have used Xylitol as natural sweeteners. Have you ever made this with one of these sweeteners? Or is it even possible for it to come out right? Thanks for your help with this…

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  170. Mozell Sparks says

    My first project with this little kit would be to make jam/preserves from the peaches I have frozen from my moms peach tree. She is 83 years old and these may be the last peaches I can put up for her.

  171. Julie says

    I just received the jelly maker for my birthday and am excited to give it a try. My first project is to make pepper jelly. Wish me luck!

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  173. Deanna Witherite says

    I can’t wait to make strawberry jam so I can stock my shelves for the whole year!

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