Masumoto Peach Jam

Again this year, my canning buddy Lisa was able to participate in a Masumoto Tree Share. What does that mean?
From their website:

Your tree will be waiting for you - and you will be kept abreast of how your peaches and/or nectarines are doing.

Like most natural arrivals, delivery date (harvest) cannot be predetermined nor scheduled. In the past Elberta and LeGrand harvest delivery dates have ranged from the last Saturday in July to the second Saturday in August. This is very much like giving birth naturally (we don't schedule Cesarean peaches or nectarines on our farm)!

You and your team will come to the Masumoto farm and hand harvest your own peaches and nectarines.

For two consecutive Saturdays your team will come to the farm, select and pick ripe, over ripe and ripening fruit from your tree. Then the peaches and/or nectarines are your babies to enjoy, care for, and use however you desire. This is a real farm, so we can only estimate EACH tree will produce between 350-450 pounds of luscious peaches and/or nectarines.

We suggest you adopt a tree with others - extended family, neighbors, friends or coworkers. A group or an organization can adopt a tree and send a small work crew to come harvest! We will provide ladders and picking boxes - you'll need to provide the personal touch.

I arrived at Lisa's house to the sight of many flats of peaches. Some were for us, while many more were for members of her share group. Although Lisa wanted to can peaches in syrup, as well as jam, my focus was jam. For such perfect peaches, a very simple jam.

Peach Jam

24 cups sliced peaches (not peeled, approximately 12 pounds of fruit)

6 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice

1/2 Tablespoon butter (optional)

Halve and pit the peaches. Combine peaches and sugar in a large bowl and let sit for several hours or refrigerate overnight. 

Transfer the peaches and sugar to a large, non-reactive sauce pan. We used two as it helps the jam to cook faster. Add the lemon juice and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. If the jam is foamy, add butter. After the peaches soften slightly, mash with a potato masher to help speed the process along. Continue simmering, until the jam mounds on a very cold plate, about 45 minutes to an hour.

Ladle into half-pint jars and process for 10 minutes in a hot water bath.

Makes 14 half-pint jars.