it feels like so much life has happened in the past six months, that even though things have slowed time is moving as fast as ever. black raspberries ripening on the vine is one of those signals to my heart and mind that we are nearing the midpoint of summer.

now i didn’t grow up with black raspberries in California or black caps as they’re called here in the midwest, but aj did. he would spend his summers with his father going to his favorite patches with buckets in hand to collect these gifts of summer.

these memories for him are infused with time spent with his father, hot, sticky, scraped up from the vines but with the prize of delicious warm summer berries in bucket + belly.

this year, we have our own 38 acres of land to collect black raspberries on, the unpaved driveway lined with black raspberry canes. this place is a gift i cannot begin to explain my gratitude for, but i hope to share soon some of our dreams, visions, plans + it’s meaning with you soon.

everytime i stand on our new land i feel my ancestors grinning ear to ear, and i know aj’s father is up there too. he would have loved this place.

now that aj’s dad has past the kiddos and i are happily taking to preserving these summer memories + traditions, and i’ve taken it upon myself to preserve these summer memories in a jar for those dreary winter days when it feels like the sun hasn’t shined for months.

it is precisely then i want to pop open a lid of black raspberry jam + taste summer and remember the hope + life it brings.

naturally sweetened black raspberry jam

ingredients

4 cups black raspberries, washed + crushed one layer at a time with potato masher

1 1/2 cup of white grape juice

4 1/2 tbsp Ball® RealFruit Low or No-Sugar Needed Pectin

up to 1 1/2 cup of honey or sugar substitute

directions

based of Ball Canning water bath canning instructions

1. prepare waterbath canner, jars and lids according to manufacturer's instructions, if preserving.* Prepare and measure ingredients for recipe.

2. combine crushed black raspberries with white grape fruit juice in a large saucepan. gradually stir in Ball® RealFruit Low or No-Sugar Needed Pectin. add butter, if using. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, over high heat, stirring constantly.

3. add honey or sugar substitute, if using. return mixture to a full rolling boil. boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. remove from heat. skim foam if necessary.

4. pack based on refrigeration or preserving steps below. *if you are preserving at an altitude higher than 1,000 feet above sea level, adjust processing time as indicated by the altitude chart

tip * adding up to 1/4 tsp butter or margarine will reduce foaming.

refrigerate or eat now

1. ladle hot jam into hot jars. cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

2. refrigerate jam or serve immediately.

preserve your jam

1. ladle jam into hot jars, one at a time, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. wipe rims clean with a cloth. center lids on jars. apply bands and adjust to fingertip tight.

2. place filled jars in canner, ensuring jars are covered by 1 to 2 inches of water. cover canner + bring water to a gentle, steady boil.

3. process jars for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitute. turn off heat, remove lid and let jars stand for 5 minutes.

4. remove jars from water bath and let cool on a wooden board or surface. check lids for seal after 24 hours. lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed. clean and store jars according to manufacturer's instructions.