Berry season has started and the first local berry each year is the strawberry. Drive around on any of the country roads and in front of each farm is usually a card table with baskets of berries and a coffee can or Cool Whip container for the money. I still had jam left over from last year so this year I decided to use some extra berries for some strawberry jelly. For detailed directions on canning, check with your local Cooperative Extension Service or use the Ball Blue Book. Pick some berries and enjoy the wonderful sound of the canning lids popping as they seal!

Strawberry Jelly

4 cups strawberry juice (takes about three or four quarts of berries)

7 1/2 cups sugar

2 pouches of liquid pectin (total of 6 ounces)

1. Sort and wash fully ripe berries, remove any stems or caps. Crush the berries and extract juice (I use a potato masher). You can also heat slightly to help the juice to flow from the berries.

2. Measure juice into a large pot. Stir in the sugar. Place on high heat and stirring constantly, bring quickly to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Add the pectin and heat again to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute.

3. Remove from heat; skim off foam quickly. Pour jelly immediately into sterilized hot jars, wipe the tops to jars to remove any jelly that will prevent a tight seal. Place seals on jars and seal.

4. Place jars in boiling water bath and process for 5 minutes.

5. Remove jars and cool. Lids will seal as the jars cook.