Wordless Wednesday: Hard Frost

Fall Raspberries

Our red raspberries produce two crops - one in the spring and one in the fall. This fall our crop was much larger than in the spring, probably the best we've ever had. It was very warm in early fall, and it felt like summer to be out in t-shirts picking berries for pie. This box was picked in early October and baked into an apple-raspberry pie,  joining the fall orchard apples. Weird, but an incredibly delicious combination.

I've found that the fall berries have a different taste than spring, which was especially noticeable this autumn. I did a little research and the good folks from Cornell (of course) had some information on this. Wet weather reduces sugar content, which is necessary for the right ratio of sugar to acid. These berries were a bit bland, which means the ratio is too high.

So, that wet spring weather was still haunting us, even in October.

Wordless Wednesday: Lake Sunset

Grape Jelly

This year's fairly small picking. Note the Nerf bullet standing by. 

We are lucky enough to have some Concord Grape vines that grow semi-wild on a fence in the backyard. They're not terribly good for eating --- with big, crunchy seeds and fold-your-face-in tartness that's only sweetened by frost. But, they make fantastic jelly. 

Many of the grapes we pick are only about blueberry size. 

I know, the grapes themselves don't look like much. They're small, and many stems are partially wizened by the time we get to picking.

Don't let that deter you, though. You may have some of these growing wild around you, and they're worth a little effort.

Here are the basic steps we use:

• Pick and pull grapes from the stems. (This is the tedious part, but over some good conversation and a cup of coffee, this can be fun). 
• Wash the grapes well, but don't worry too much about drying. 
• Cook the whole grapes on the stove over low-to-medium heat and mash the heck out of them with a potato masher. 
• Once they're well-mashed (this isn't an exact science, just give it your best go), pour the grape slurry into a food mill. Don't have a food mill? You can also squeeze the juice out using a piece of cheese cloth. This is pretty messy and time-consuming though. Go ahead and put a food mill on your Christmas list. You won't be sorry. 
• Once you've got the juice separated, the rest is easy. You'll need some pectin and the store-bought variety comes with instructions about how much juice to use per enormous quantity of sugar. 



Grape juice on the stove. 

• Use any pot big enough to cover your jars with a few inches of hot water for the canning process and ---voila!--- homemade grape jelly. 

We often have leftover juice because YOU MUST MEASURE YOUR JELLY INGREDIENTS EXACTLY. I say again, measure twice ... cook once. Jelly won't "set" unless you've got the ratios right. 

You can also combine the juice with seltzer and make amazing home-made grape soda. Delicious!

Wordless Wednesday: Fall Foliage

Neglect

I wrote this note earlier this summer when it became apparent that this would be a neglectful year of gardening. We spent most of our spare time working on a deck project ... and letting the weeds take over as you can see in this picture. We still got a good harvest, in fact we're still picking ... I guess the garden doesn't need me as much as I need it. 

Dear Garden -

Hey there! I know it’s been a while and since you’re not on Facebook and don’t have cell service I thought I’d go old-fashioned and drop you a note. I’m sorry it’s been so long since I’ve been out to see you, I feel terrible … the tomatoes must be getting so big by now! Are they ready to start school, or do they wish for a few more weeks of summer?

I’ve been thinking of you. In fact you’re never far from mind. I keep wanting to spend some time with you and free you from those weeds. But let’s face it, the weather hasn’t been stellar. Of course, you know that better than anyone. Just when you finally dried out, you must have wanted to keel over in that hot spell. And then, where’d the blossom end rot and blight come from? Maybe you should see someone about that, an organic specialist of some kind?

I did see those amazing zucchini, though, and the dill and basil are taller than I thought possible. Nice work! I love how you manage to persevere through it all. And I’m hoping you’ll apply that steady approach to our friendship because I promise a time will come when I’ll be a more regular visitor.

It’s just that this has been a busy summer. We tackled a big deck project and have spent a lot of time with family. Oliver’s getting ready for Kindergarten and his own blossoming is pretty amazing to watch. He’s at that stage of growth when you feel like you want to make sure he’s got good support, but enough room to stretch out. It’s an important time. You want the roots to set deeply, and you hope for enough sun so you can watch his face turn to the light. Of course, there are times when I want to tie him to stakes so he’ll stay still, but I know that energy will serve him well in the long run. So, I’ve been focused on our own family fertilizer this summer, and while it’s no excuse for neglecting you, I hope you’ll understand. Your weeds and wildness are just a reflection of another garden I’m growing.

Take care, my friend. I’m sure I’ll get out to see you soon. Maybe we can catch up when the brussels sprouts are ready. If not, we’ll try again next year.

Love and kisses,

Kate