Grape Jelly Time - 25 half-pints

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Grape Jelly Time - 25 half-pints

Friday, 02 Sep 11 Storms 28°C / 83°F

My supposed vineyard of 4 vines all died in 2010, so I thought. Suddenly the Concord Grape Vine exploded with grapes this year. I managed to get about 3/4 bushel or 29 pounds harvested. I selected the ripest and best of the grapes for processing into jelly. I really was hoping that I had a couple more weeks before I had to deal with it because of I just got my follow-up 3 cancer treatments and they kicked my butt.

Anyway I processed the grapes in a Squeezo to remove the skins and seeds. I ended up with a thick grape juice, which I squeeze and strained with cheesecloth. I ended up with about 16 cups of deep burgundy colored juice. Three years ago I tried the recipe in the Sure-Jell package and was really disappointed how it setup. This year I followed PaulP’s recipe exactly, except for the separate cheesecloth straining. All 25 half-pints turned out phenomenal. I made three batches (25 pints), with one last night and two this morning. I put a jar on the counter where my wife and kids make their breakfasts and lunch bags. I found an empty jelly jar and an empty English Muffin bag on the counter this morning. I also found a note under the empty jar with one word – MORE! I’m definitely investing in more grape vines next Spring. I may also try my hand at cuttings this winter. I’m looking forward to following PaulP’s wine making instructions.

I started de-seeding a bushel of peppers, but couldn’t do it. I’m logging my harvest and jelly and going back to bed. Hopefully I’ll be feeling better by Monday. I have to finish getting a hoop-house designed, pick a half bushel of brussel sprouts, and freeze about 18-20 pounds of peppers, My green beans are loaded and need to be picked, and my garlic needs harvesting for seedstock.

Not enough hours in a day even when I’m not feeling like a truck ran over me.

This entry is about

	Orchard garden
	Day 885 Grape - Concord Vitis labrusca Preserved 25 half pints of Grape Jelly
	Day 885 Grape - Concord Vitis labrusca Harvesting 3.0 x basket [29.0 lb] 3/4 bushel grapes harvested
	Day 237 Pepper: Green-to-Red Bell California Wonder (248) Capsicum annuum var. annuum (Grossum Group) Harvesting 1.0 x basket [25.0 lb] Picked enough to process int 18-19 lbs frozen

Comments

TeresaGreen wrote:
Hi hotwired,
Wow – you don’t do things by halves do you! From your family’s reaction it sounds like you’ve hit a real winner with this grape jelly. Really sorry to hear you’re fighting cancer. I hope you get a chance to rest up with all this harvesting to do. It must be very frustrating for you to not be well when you’re normally so incredibly active and busy; especially when you can see so many jobs that need doing,

Posted on 03 Sep 11 (over 1 year ago)
HesterB wrote:
Grape Jelly looks nice. I’ll look up the recipe in our autumn. We have lots of grapes. Hope you feel better soon. Sending positive thoughts your way.

Posted on 03 Sep 11 (over 1 year ago)
seeingreen wrote:
I know everyone says it but it’s true – sleep is a great healer – make sure you get plenty of it. Then there is the ‘little sleep’ (not really sleep but inducing similar hertz brain waves) of meditation – also healing. What ever you need to recoup I wish for you hotwired – be well.

Posted on 04 Sep 11 (over 1 year ago)
PaulP wrote:
Cuttings are totally unnecessary with concords. Stick a vine end in the dirt and give it a minimum of six weeks of growing season – at least a month of that in full foilage (best started in the spring before the leaves start budding). Tug to make sure it anchored (rooted) well. Good roots? Dig, snip and replant. Done. :-)

Posted on 05 Sep 11 (over 1 year ago)
nickyn wrote:
I just planted a Concord and a Himrod vine this spring. They grew pretty slowly… just a few feet this summer – but this summer was a really weird one around here. I am hoping that they take off next year.

Take care of yourself & I hope you get your energy back very quickly… sending well wishes your way (:

Posted on 08 Sep 11 (over 1 year ago)
minxy83 wrote:
Sounds yummy!! Don’t you be worrying about that hoop house hun, I won’t be starting it until around february anyway. Take care and rest well.
minxy;)

Posted on 09 Sep 11 (over 1 year ago)
SneIrish wrote:
Take good care of yourself, hotwired! You’ve got way too much to do, even if it is self-assigned, so you have to stay in good form. _~~~ _~~~ _~~~ positive energy coming your way. ;D

Posted on 10 Sep 11 (over 1 year ago)