Double R Farm (Amish Country Soaps & Sundries)

Today is the first day of school for local learners here in Sugarcreek. It’s hard to believe that summer is coming to an end, especially since it’s only been lately that the weather has finally warmed up. The nights are getting cooler and soon it will be autumn. I watch with a neighbor as the school bus pulls up to take our children off to school and we both smile. It’s been a long summer. It’s not that we won’t miss our children, surely we will, but it’s time for us to get much of the chores we’ve put aside done.

We briefly run down the list of things we have planned for the day before I head back across the street as memories of earlier years flood my mind. I am amazed at how quickly the years have flown by. Wasn’t it only yesterday they were born?

More memories float around in my head; the numerous feedings, diaper changes, teaching them to walk and listening as they learned to talk seem like only yesterday. Then there were the many first days of school when we'd spend weeks shopping for clothes, shoes, supplies, lunch boxes and backpacks. It seemed to take forever to get them ready as we  filled their backpacks with school supplies along with our hopes and dreams for them.

Now they pack their own backpack, throw it over their shoulder and are gone in the blink of an eye unaware that still safely tucked inside are the hopes and dreams of their father and I. Even though one is now a Senior in high school and the other is a sturdy 6th grader it's hard not to be reflective on the first day of school.

               Here in Sugarcreek summer has finally arrived with the    emergence of many summer flowers and an abundance of black raspberries. We have been eating them by the hand full as well as sharing with neighbors.  

Just the other day we had one of those hot and humid summer days. You know the ones you wish for in the middle of winter, but dread it when they finally come. After a few hours of weeding it became obvious the only way to beat the heat was to go inside.

I had been thinking of a refreshing sundae I had at a local ice cream shop last summer made with fresh berries. I set out to try and duplicate the recipe. After some experimentation I came up with the following recipe. It is fairly easy to make and well worth the effort. You will need the following to make it: 

2 cups fresh raspberries, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water, a blender or food processor, metal or yogurt strainer, wide mouth bowl or container, measuring cup and spoons.

 Begin by rinsing the berries in cool water and draining in a colander. Add the berries and the water in the blender, puree 1-2 minutes until the berries are completely liquefied. Place the strainer over the wide mouth container and pour the liquid into the strainer. Filling it only ½ way. Using a small spoon stir the mixture to help remove the seeds and allow the liquid to drain into the container. Repeat this process until all of the berry mixture has been strained. 

Add the sugar to the berry mixture and blend or stir until the sugar has dissolved completely. Cover and chill at least one hour prior to serving. The raspberry sauce will thicken and become sweeter the longer it is refrigerated. It will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator.