It's Crush Time

It is time to harvest grapes, otherwise known in viticulture terms as the "Crush". Our Montreal Blues are ripe and ready to be picked, pressed, and made into juice and jelly. Seeing as we still have grape jelly in the pantry from two years ago, we decided to share our impressive grape yield this year. Aunt Sue, Uncle Guy and Andrew were happy to come over to do the first "trie" (a French term meaning a sweep through the vineyard picking grapes).

I have never seen anyone so excited about picking grapes!

Andrew even endured two hornet stings during the harvesting process.  He was very much a trooper about the whole thing.  Liam and Seamus were a bit less enthusiastic, maybe because our back deck smells like a very stinky winery.

With their harvest of two baskets full of grapes (about half of our total yield), 

the Chapmans got busy sorting and processing.

Their finally tally was 21 (500 mL) jars of grape jelly.  That should keep them going for a while!

We are happy when we are able to share our bounty here on the farm with our friends and relations.  It is satisfying to see our produce be put to good use.  

We still have a bunch of grapes left that are going to be chicken snacks unless someone wants to come and take them away (no charge).  If you are inspired to make some grape jelly let us know and we can slot you in for the second trie.  We also have loads of pears, apples, and crab apples (suitable for jam/jelly, preserves or sauce), if this is of interest to you.  Our orchard also smells like a very stinky cidery right now.  The red squirrel is just not doing his part taking away two measly pears a day.  Help him out!