Granny Women of Appalachia: A Heartwarming Look into Homesteading, Canning, and Appalachian Life

Welcome to Granny Women of Appalachia, where tradition, heart, and home preservation come together in a celebration of Appalachian heritage. I'm H. Cindy, and alongside my Dixie and my sweet granny, we welcome y’all into our world — a world of canning, storytelling, and homemade strawberry desserts.

Preserving the Harvest: Appalachian Canning Traditions
Here in the mountains, canning isn’t just a chore — it’s a way of life. Every jar in our pantry holds a story. From rows of green beans and salsa to chow chow, zucchini relish, and icicle pickles, each one is filled with the bounty of our garden and the love of our family.

Tomato Juice and Salsa – Grown, canned, and ready to nourish us all year long.

Apple Pie Filling – Waiting for the perfect crust on a chilly evening.

Pickles Galore – Dill pickles, meat pickles, and even those old-fashioned icicle pickles.

Banana Peppers, Hot Peppers, and Yellow Beans – Tangy, spicy, and full of flavor.

Homemade Grape Juice – The last sweetness of the season preserved in glass.

Pinto Soup Beans & Cauliflower – Comfort food, Appalachian-style.

When the garden’s finished for the season, we gather what’s left and combine it all — making delicious mixed vegetable preserves that carry the spirit of summer through the winter months.

Memories of Life Before Refrigerators
Growing up in Appalachia wasn’t always easy, but it was full of heart. I remember when we got our first refrigerator — I was just seven years old. Before that, we stored our food in a springhouse, where the water stayed cold and fresh. When all seven of us kids caught the German measles, Mama had to walk to the neighbor's house for ice just to help us get by. Daddy finally got us a refrigerator, but not before I ended up in the hospital, and Mama had her hands full with six sick children at home.

Old-Fashioned Remedies & Mountain Medicine
Back then, we didn’t run to the doctor for every little thing. Mama doctored us at home with castor oil — and we hated it! Our doctor would come to the house, and Daddy once paid him with a bushel of potatoes for delivering my baby sister Norma. That's just how it was.

Modern Homesteading: Strawberry Bazaars from Scratch
These days, we’re still carrying on the tradition with a touch of modern convenience. I recently found fresh strawberries at the market, and since we’re running low on the jam I made last summer, I got right to work.

My Strawberry Bazaar Recipe:

Start with 5 cups of crushed strawberries.

Stir in 1 package of Sure-Jell and bring it to a full, rolling boil.

Add 7 cups of sugar and stir until it boils so hard you can’t stir it down.

Boil for exactly one minute, then pour into jars.

Let them sit covered overnight before sealing and storing in the freezer.

While this isn’t traditional freezer jam (since we do cook it), we prefer our jams, jellies, and apple butter stored in the freezer — they taste just as fresh years later as the day they were made.

A Taste of Home, A Slice of History

Every night, me and my husband enjoy a little of our homemade strawberry jam for dessert. It's simple, sweet, and full of memories.