Homegrown Gift Ideas: Jams, Pickles, Infused Honey & More

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Every summer, the garden gives more than we can eat. Tomatoes pile up on the counter, the herbs get away from us, and there’s always one more jar of jam than we need for ourselves. Rather than let any of it go to waste, I’ve made a habit of turning that abundance into gifts — a tradition I learned watching my own family make and give things by hand long before “homemade” was a trend.

Sharing what grows here, in whatever form it takes, is one of my favorite parts of the season. Use this list to start setting things aside now — infusing, drying, preserving — so you’ve got a stock of meaningful, homegrown gifts ready when you need them later in the year.

A jar of jam wrapped in burlap and string sits ona table. Text overlay reads: How to Make & Give Homegrown Gifts.

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Homegrown Gift Ideas

Share your garden and home with loved ones near and far with these easy to make ideas.

Jams & Jellies

These jars of sweet spreads make for easy and great gifts. Simply make jam as usual and keep a few jars set aside for gift giving. Pair it up with some homemade bread for an extra special treat.

dried fruit and rosehip jam on a spoon with a jar of jam, dried rosehips, and a honey dipper on a white table.

Dried Fruit & Rosehip Jam

Use any mixture of dried fruit and dried rosehips you have on hand for a thick and sweet jam that is a bit unusual.

Cucumber Mint Jam

Savory and sweet cucumber mint jam pairs well with cheese and yogurts for a slightly different gift basket.

Strawberry Maple Jam

This strawberry jam is sweetened with maple syrup and blended for a smooth texture that uses the whole fruit.

Brandied Cherry Berry Preserves

Mix together whatever cherries (sweet and sour) and berries you grow or forage with some brandy for a tasty preserve that is great on toast and ice cream!

An open jar of apple butter with a spoon sitting on top sits on a table. Behind it are more sealed jars of apple butter and a basket of fresh apples. In front are red maple leaves.

Maple Apple Butter

Fresh apples are cooked with spices, maple syrup, and apple cider in the slow cooker until think and then canned.

Jars of cranberry apple butter on a table with maple leaves and fresh apples.

Cranberry Apple Butter Recipe for Canning

Tart cranberries and sweet apples combine for a bright and flavorful fruit butter.

Sour Cherry Butter

Sour cherry butter is a thick and lightly sweet spread perfect for toast, pancakes, ice cream and more.

Corn Cob Jelly – Low Sugar

Photo Credit: homesteadlady.com

Let nothing go to waste to keep the preserves budget friendly and delicious. Corn cob jelly is a unique old-fashioned treat.

Dried Herbs, Flowers, & Food

You can always keep it simple by placing dried herbs or flowers in a jar and adding a pretty label for things like herbal tea or seasoning for foodie friends. If you want slightly more involved ideas, consider these useful craft ideas.

Herbal Dream Pillows

Use dried herbs sewn inside dream pillows to encourage peaceful sleep and sweet dreams.

Infused Honey

Part herbal remedy, part food infused honey needs time but is mostly hands-off and provides for a delightful gift to sweeten drinks and more.

A jar of honey with lavender buds floating in it. A honey dipper and fresh stems of lavender surround the jar.

Lavender Honey Recipe

Make this simple infused lavender honey for a pantry staple wonderful enough to share.

A sealed jar of honey with green leaves floating in it sits on a table. Next to it is a stem of fresh oregano leaves and a wooden honey dipper. In the background is a clay honey pot.

Oregano Infused Honey

Make an easy oregano infused honey for sweet and savory herbal flavor to add to your sauces and more!

A glass canning jar full of honey and lilac blossoms sits on a table. Behind it is a wooden vase full of fresh lilac blooms. A wooden honey dipper sits between the jar and vase.

Lilac Infused Honey

Make an easy lilac infused honey for spring floral flavor to add to drinks and desserts all year long!

A jar of honey sitting on a white napkin with fresh mint sprigs and honey dipper.

How to Make and Use Mint Infused Honey

3 bookmarks decorated with pressed flowers sit on a table.

How to Make a Pressed Flower Bookmark

Make an easy and beautiful bookmark from simple pressed flowers for a practical and gorgeous gift.

Pickles

For the pickle lovers in your life give a jar or several different types for something truly special.

Spicy Bread & Butter Pickles

Put up the abundant cucumber harvest by canning up this easy and tasty sweet pickle recipe for a perfect balance of sweet, sour, & spice.

Easy Pickled Cauliflower Recipe (canning or refrigerator)

Photo Credit: creativesimpleliving.com

This easy pickled cauliflower recipe is safe for canning or skip the canning and make quick pickles for the refrigerator.

Condiments

Give loved ones fixings for salads, spreads for sandwiches, and flavor galore with these simple condiment recipes.

A glass jar with a lid sits on a table. Inside the jar green leaves are floating inside vinegar. Behind the jar is a stalk of fresh lovage.

Lovage Infused Vinegar

Infuse herbal flavor into your savory dishes with this easy to make lovage infused vinegar recipe.

A small jar full of salt and dried herbs sits on a table next to some fresh lovage leaves.

Lovage Salt

Lovage is similar in flavor to celery making this herbal salt perfect for soups, casseroles, and more.

Cranberry Honey Mustard

Spread those leftover turkey sandwiches with some homemade cranberry honey mustard for a delicious and savory twist on the standard.

Dill Pickle Relish

Make this dill pickle relish recipe for an amazing spread to use on sandwiches and mix into your favorite salads for tangy flavor long after the garden season has passed!

Infused Sugar

Know someone who likes to bake? Easy to make herbal sugars allow them to bake with new and interesting flavors.

An open canning jar full of sugar and dried lilac blossoms sit on a table in front of a vase of fresh lilac branches.

Lilac Infused Sugar

Make lilac sugar for a floral infused sweetener to add to drinks, baked goods, and more.

Lavender Infused Sugar

Body Products

Give someone comfort and relaxation with easy and soothing body products.

3 Comments

Melissa Keyser says:

July 31, 2016 at 11:02 pm

These are great ideas! I give jars of jam for holiday gifts, but love the idea of doing infused alcohol. Vanilla would be a nice one as well (although not quite from the homestead….).

almas nathoo says:

September 6, 2017 at 2:50 pm

Hi,
Please this year I got lots of grapes red ones in my backyard. This afternoon I took out stem etc and going to dry them and make raisins for my winter fruits for breakfast. But I like to make jam. Do you grapes jam recipes etc where I use your recipes. I like your gift idea I enjoy your pages very much.wonderfully
Thanks
almas.

1. Kathie Lapcevic says:
  
  September 16, 2017 at 11:53 am
  
  Thanks so much for stopping by and saying hello. I don’t have a grape jam recipe but this one is amazing: http://www.simplycanning.com/grape-jam-recipe.html