Here on my little patch of heaven in Southwestern Ohio, we have been invaded. With cicadas. Everywhere. I can’t even hang clothes out on the line!

But there’s a silver lining in this cicada cloud after all. They are not bothering the wild fruit, like black raspberries and mulberries.

I went foraging yesterday and harvested enough to make a lovely mixed berry freezer jam.

Of course, it’s here to share with you, along with an easy strawberry freezer jam, too.

You can really taste the flavor of the fruit with freezer jams, since there’s no cooking of fruit involved. And freezer jams are so pretty with their jewell like color. 

Do make a batch or two, won’t you? When the winter winds howl, you’ll be able to enjoy a taste of summer in a jar.

Strawberry freezer jam

Ingredients

Start with 4 cups or so fresh ripe, room temperature strawberries, enough to equal 2 cups finely diced berries

4 cups sugar

1 box,1.75 oz powdered pectin – not low sugar 

3/4 cup water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Containers: 5-6 cups suitable for freezer 

Instructions

Measure 2 cups prepared fruit in bowl. 

Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. Let stand 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. This helps sugar dissolve. 

Add water, pectin and lemon juice in saucepan and bring to boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly, remove and immediately stir into strawberry mixture. 

Stir for 3 minutes to make sure sugar dissolves.

Fill jars with jam, leaving 1/2” head space at top to allow for expansion in freezer.

Seal, then let sit at room temperature 24 hours.

Store in refrigerator for a month or so, or freezer for up to 1 year. 

Mixed berry freezer jam

Sometimes blackberries and raspberries can be seedy. If you like, strain those berries after pureeing. I don’t strain strawberries.

Ingredients

Start with 6 cups or so of a combo of room temperature berries – you can use 2 or 3 kinds of berries. I used black raspberries and mulberries, but use what you like, enough to equal 3 cups fruit after pureeing and straining if necessary. 

5-1/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup water

1 box, 1.75 oz powdered pectin – not low sugar 

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Containers: 7- 8 cups suitable for freezer 

Instructions

Measure 3 cups pureed berries into bowl.

Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. Let stand 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. This helps sugar dissolve.

Add water, pectin and lemon juice in saucepan and bring to boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly, then stir into berry mixture. Stir for 3 minutes to make sure sugar dissolves. 

Fill jars with jam, leaving 1/2” head space at the top to allow for expansion in the freezer.

Seal, then let sit at room temperature 24 hours.

Store in refrigerator for a month or so, or freezer for up to 1 year. 

Tip:

Swap frozen berries for fresh. Bring to room temperature before using.