Love in a jar: Canning at Twelve Oaks Farm

Debbie Snapp
ECB Publishing, Inc.

Tami Lester is the owner and operator of Twelve Oaks Farm, an equine facilitated learning and life coaching operation that is located just outside the Monticello city limits, on Waukeenah Highway.
Her business keeps her very busy at times, and she can frequently be found helping others treat their life and everyday issues.
So, when she allows herself some free time, she enjoys doing several “down-home” things, like preserving the fruits and vegetables that she grows and nurtures in her garden on her homestead.
Lester has cupboards filled with her handmade jellies, jams, pickles and fruit, and there is zucchini bread in her refrigerator and freezer.
She delights in sharing these tasty treats with her friends and neighbors throughout the year, especially during the holidays. Before giving these handmade-with-love treats to her friends, Lester will decorate her products with ribbons and bows, then make up a beautifully decorated basket or bag to display her gift before passing it on.
Lester grew up in the restaurant business, so it's no wonder she loves caring for her garden, cooking and working in the kitchen. In fact, she says that her culinary talents are something she learned from her parents and grandparents.
Every summer, Lester tends a garden with help from her grandchildren and she says the plot is always filled with potatoes and zucchini.
She moved to Monticello from Volusia County, Fla. in December 2016 with her husband, Chuck. They have five grown children who also like to cook and garden - a family tradition it seems!
Twelve Oaks Farm has several healthy and beautiful fruit trees, including Satsumas, Meyer Lemons and figs. When she bought her property, the previous owner invited her to can fruit. It was a memorable time for this southern lady.
Lester has been trying her luck with a few new recipes lately, such as pepper jelly and marmalade, which she says have turned out very well!
She is also planning on potentially expanding her business to include gift baskets that are filled with her canned goods. It's just a thought right now, but maybe sometime soon in the future, it will come to fruition.