Friday, September 5, 2008

The Grape Escape

Which is what I need right about now.

I have been working for 2 days, minus time to sleep, eat, cook, and clean a little bit, and am only half-way done with all those grapes!

We are freezing most of them because no way are we going to be able to can that many grapes in one session. Which means rinsing, popping off the stems, sorting through and tossing out the split or mushy or shriveled ones, layering between paper towels in pans, and freezing them. Then I take the frozen grapes and put them in more gallon bags. I have gone through 7 bags, and now have nearly 4, bursting at the seams full, bags of frozen grapes in the freezer. Each one should yield a batch of jam or jelly, it depends on how much they weigh...

And I have to get the rest of what we are freezing done today before they all go mushy from being picked and not refridgerated. I am starting the juice for jelly tonight, it get strained and sits overnight and strained some more, and we will can it tomorrow.

I love canning!


Our tour meal went very well, and I will be posting that later on this morning. That will be my "escape" time today, I guess. At least I don't have to sweep or mop! My friends hubby was sleeping (works a night shift) when we were eating, so he didn't come for dinner until way late. He felt bad for being so late, so he swept and mopped my kitchen/dining room! Sweet!

4 comments:

Stephanie said...

Wow, so many grapes! Well, at least I can sympathize, having just gone through all that with peaches. Just think how happy you'll be to have all those grapes later in the year, and on into next year. :-)

Rachel Holloway said...

OH MY GOSH! THAT is a lotta grapes! I honestly never have heard of anyone making homemade grape jelly...shows how few people I know! :)

Kathy Whittle said...

I would love to have grapes - where did you get them? Grape juice is REALLY easy to can if you can get a hold of a juicer. Yum!

CissaLynn said...

Man, girl, I sooooo admire you and what you are doing!!! My mom had a friend (yrs. ago) and she used to make all kinds of canned things! My mom did it every now and then, but (us kids) never got to help! I would love to try it sometime! Too bad we don't live close, so I could learn from you! Anyway, again, I am truly impressed!
YOU GO, GIRL!!!!! :)))