Once again, we continued our yearly tradition of apple picking and applesauce making.

We only picked half a bushel or so, and then bought the rest (3 3/4 bushels total).

It used to be that if you picked the apples yourself, they were cheaper (which makes sense because you’re providing the labor). Now it’s totally flipped, and picking the apples is actually more expensive than buying the pre-picked ones. Now you’re paying extra for the “experience” of apple picking, not to mention the hayrides, live bands, pumpkin patches, the whole nine.

Well, we just want the apples.

We literally opened last year’s last jar of applesauce days before we made this year’s batch, which has never happened before. So we know about how much applesauce we go through in a year. The answer is a LOT. Also, we usually do this in combination with my mom, but this year we were flying solo.

It took Sara and I long into the night, but we managed to can 43 quarts and 13 pints of applesauce.  That’s a whole lot of applesauce y’all. Our pantry is once again fully stocked to apocalypse levels.

See you next year applesauce maker!