Grapes

Despite the late spring freeze and severe drought conditions, we actually harvested grapes today.  LOTS of grapes.  Perfect grapes. The grape plants were here when we moved out here about 8 years ago. The plants were smaller and their only support was a string of heavy wire then. They're a Chardonnay type of grape.  The birds and insects had already started picking at, and eating some of the grapes, but that's okay.  I'm a firm believer in the old adage, "one for the birds, one for the worms and one to grow."  We have Baltimore Orioles in our yard, and I know that the grape arbor contributes to their presence.  This was one of our best seasons ever, actually.  Which is also rather ironic, considering the weather.  The containers we filled are sitting on the kitchen counter.  My plan is to make them into fresh squeezed grape juice.  I'll use my Sauce Master, which separates the skin and seeds from the pulp and juice.  I don't plan to add extra water or sugar - just straight up grape juice.  The juice will actually be pasteurized, though - a simple process of heating it to a certain temperature (around 135 degrees) and keeping it there for about a 1/2 hour. No boiling allowed. Then I'll process some in quart jars and store it in the basement refrigerator for later consumption and sharing - that's if there's any left, once we start drinking it.  Maybe one of these years I'll attempt wine, instead of grape juice. I'd have to be more prepared than I am today, however.  That'd be pretty cool though, a Sunny Silver Maple Farm Chardonnay vintage wine.  I like the sound of that ... maybe next year...