Some of the Family Harvest Arrives in Iowa

 My other half was away out west for a whole week, but like the good man he is, he came home bearing treats—lots of treats! His parents have fruit trees of all kinds in Montana and this was the first time that we've gotten to enjoy some of the harvest. There is an assortment of already canned goodies including applesauce, cherry preserves, huckleberry preserves, canned cherries and plum butter. There is even a gallon of freshly pressed apple cider hanging out in the fridge (which I plan to drink as warm cider if it ever cools down again). I am so ridiculously excited for all of these things, especially the cherries. I already have plans to eat them over vanilla ice cream...

 But he also brought three whole boxes filled with fruit. There are these lovely apples.

 Stunning bosc pears that even the most upscale market would clamor to sell.

 

And more apples. We haven't decided what to do with it all conclusively yet, but I'd like to try to make some dried fruit, along with (probably) more applesauce and perhaps some pear butter. I've also tossed out the idea of trying to can pie filling, which could be fun later in the cold months. 

I am quite sure that I'll have many updates about the fruit as we put it to good use, but until then, I'm just feeling really grateful that all of this came from family—and that Josh made it home safely.