You can now find many of our products in the Cedar Hill Market in downtown Cedar Hill. Drop by the store at 208 Houston Street & say hello to Guy .

Providence Preserves is now available at the Cedar Hill Market in Cedar Hill TX at 208 Houston Street. They have a fantastic selection of gourmet foods and now Providence Preserves has joined the list! We are excited to have this opportunity!
A big THANK YOU to Guy & Richard, owners of the business.
Stay tuned. MORE INFO TO COME!

1. Berry-Peachy Jam
2. Bread & Butter Pickles
3.Chow-Chow
4. Cinnamon Cucumber Rings
5. Dilly Beans
6. HOT Chow-Chow
7. Jalapeno Mint Jelly
8. Peach Habanero Jam
9. Peach Jam
10. Pickled Okra
11. Squash Pickles
12. Strawberry Jam
13. Tomato Pear Chutney
14. Watermelon Rind Pickles

​YOU CAN THANK ME LATER!
​(yes I know the Tomato Pear Chutney is missing)

In 2017 Bonton Farm was our go-to-farm, well this year we started a partnership with We Over Me Farm at Paul Quinn College in Dallas. It, like Bonton, is in a food desert. This small private college in east Dallas turned their football field into a large organic garden. Squash, cucumbers, onion, okra, tomatoes and eggplants are all grown there among other veggies and young fruit trees. A hydroponic system is to be installed to make it even more exceptional.  The pandemic has definitely put a damper on having students to assist with care of the farm. Almost all of the harvesting has fallen on the farm administrator, Kim, who does an amazing job cultivating and overseeing the farm. To date, Providence Preserves  has made Squash Pickles, Bread & Butter Pickles, Cinnamon Cucumber Pickles and Pickled Okra using the organic produce from We Over Me Farm.
The produce isn't always "grocery store pretty" but it is always delicious! Thanks Kim!

Ok, so I was about to make some Chow-Chow for  family and friends and discovered I was completely out of pickling spice. I had everything else needed except this spice. It was too late to buy some so I did the next best thing - I made my own. I found a recipe online that listed everything my now empty pickling spice container listed; mustard seeds, allspice berries, corianda seeds, red pepper flakes, ground ginger, crumbled bay leaves, broken cinnamon sticks and whole cloves, If I say so myself, it looked and smelled just like the store brand, only better! Family & friends if you get a jar, let me know what you think.

Every gardener can use a little help
    so here's some SAGE advice;
   always ROMAINE positive
your garden surely will grow nice!
  TURNIP to help friends
take THYME for family too;
 SQUASH any fears you may have
 and have PEAS of mind in all you do! 

  a.s. waldrop

This season I have fried, stirred fried, grilled, steamed, and of course pickled squash. The squash came from Me Over We Organic Farm. I have to be transparent. Our garden hasn't produced hardly anything this season -  2 tomatoes, one squash & lots of blossoms that didn't end up being an edible veggie.. Its sad. I can't blame it on Wilbert, (the squirrel). Although I would like to... I guess I've lost my hand at growing veggies. Never had that problem maintaining a thriving garden in NC. I'm going to place the blame on:
(1) intense heat, (2) not enough rain, (3) hard soil 
(4) starting the garden too late by Texas standards and (5) Wilbert the squirrel. We will try for a better garden next year.
​Thank GOD for We Over Me Farm and their organic produce.

, No I didn't go to Winona Orchards in Waxahachie Texas to pick the peaches myself but I do sort through the box usually at the market . They are sold as number 1's and number 2's. Also didn't know there were so many different kinds of peaches! The Fredrickburg Peaches are smaller and very juicy and are ready late spring, while the Freestone Peaches are larger, firmer and ready later in the summer. Both are delicious! So here's my shorten Peach Jam process:
1. Buy & check out the fruit
2.Wash them, remove bruised areas
3.Prep ingredients. We use REAL lemons
4.Cook the peaches, sugar, lemon juice, pectin
5.Measure cooked fruit into prepared jars, add lids
6. If you forget to turn jars right side up, this might  happen but if you remember, they turn out ok!

Most people don't think about the process that goes into me making Strawberry Jam for you. Here it is in abbreviated pics.
I think you can figure out the steps in between. 
Next episode- (2) The Peachy Process