Fruits of your labors!

[Brent S]

Hello everyone, I just finished bottling this years grapes. I got 25 gallons of muscadine/Concorde grape wine. (Grape juice if your offended, just slightly more relaxing than welches!). I only had about 1/10th of my grapes produce as most are still to new," I think I'm gonna need a I bigger box", when they all mature. Guess I'll have to waste a few grapes and learn to make some jelly or something next year .lol. Even though my Back hurts a little I get so much satisfaction from making stuff like this. Party's at my house this weekend! I even got a pot of homemade soup going this morning.

 

[DrHenley]

Looks yummie! I've wanted to make some straight muscadine wine from the grapes on the family farm, but the farm is over in the Mississippi Delta and I never seem to be about to get over there when the muscadines are ready to pick.

How much sugar did you have to add? Or is that what the concord grapes are for?

 

[Brent S]

Good evening doc, every batch of grapes have a different amount of sugar in them. Plants six feet apart will be vary greatly. In the old days you just made wine and hoped it would turn out ok, but now thanks to an inexpensive tool called a hydrometer (10 bucks at any brewery supply), you can start every batch at the optimum level for a good batch every time. I just bottled 5 five gallon carbouys, and each needed a different amount of sugar. I like mostly semi sweet wine, so I add sugar until I get a reading of 1.140, I think I averaged about two pounds per 5 gallons. Wine is like most things in life, the more you learn about it you realize you could spend the rest of your life learning finer details. But if you enjoy a glass every now and then, you can keep it simple and make a very good, drinkable batch every time. I also test for acidity now, but just started doing this fairly recently. Basically you get a batch at the starting levels and Mother Nature does the rest. Yeasts are wonderful little critters! Cheers, brent
One last thing, I planted an assortment of fine wine grapes to begin with. I wish I had talked to locals first, as I just plucked some expensive vines that were struggling just to hang on. The muscadines are like a weed here in ga. And we're producing grapes in the first year. (Two yrs is better). There are dozens of types of muscadines, most do well in ga.

 

[Dani]

Ok I love that kitchen. . . .beautiful cabinets and I love what is on the countertops. . . dang that will last you a few years and a good bartering tool!

 

[Brent S]

Ok I love that kitchen. . . .beautiful cabinets and I love what is on the countertops. . . dang that will last you a few years and a good bartering tool!

Thanks, yeah, I hope it lasts a while, otherwise I have a really bad drinking problem! I have 4more 5gal. Jugs fermenting right now which is another 100 bottles. I actually looked into trying to get a license to sell, but ga. has some really dumb laws concerning alcohol. You can make it, but have to sell it to another company to distribute, then they have to sell to another to retail it. I even thought about trying to set up three companies, you know, one in my name, the wife's , maybey the dog? Too much trouble. I think long term storage is good for now. I have bartered a little, got the 14 chickens for three bottles! I really like to learn new things that are productive hobbies, and the last batch of muscadines taste better than anything I can buy at the store. Thanks on the kitchen. I only have about a hundred dollars in it for hinges, drawer glides and polyurethane. All the wood was from the white pines here on the property. Now if we're talking labor and time, I have a little more invested. But I've got more time than money! I've since put in a slate tile backsplash and put a couple cotes of poly on it for a nice sheen. I am about to put on some porcelain tiles that look like slate on the countertops, as they are a lot more durable than the slate. I really like working with my hands and improving/building things. I guess I just don't like to sit still. With my wife being so sick I stay pretty close to home to care for her, and this is how I stay sane I guess. (I think I'm still sane, maybe). I think I have about ten things going at any time, and probably 20 on my list. I like multiple projects as if I'm not motivated to work on one, I'll just move to another that interests me at the time. It seems to work for me.

 

[Dani]

Alcohol license are just a pain in the rear to get. I watched Moonshiners a couple of times and one went legal, but he had a hard time of it. Go ahead and open a business in your dog's name. . . people claim them as kids on income tax returns all the time, so why can't they own a business too !
Got to say your a man of many talents! It's nice that you were able to harvest all that wood (white pine?) from your own property. A lot of time and effort goes into a project like that, but I am thinking you enjoyed most of it. Saved you thousands of dollars too so can't beat that.

 

[Brent S]

Alcohol license are just a pain in the rear to get. I watched Moonshiners a couple of times and one went legal, but he had a hard time of it. Go ahead and open a business in your dog's name. . . people claim them as kids on income tax returns all the time, so why can't they own a business too !
Got to say your a man of many talents! It's nice that you were able to harvest all that wood (white pine?) from your own property. A lot of time and effort goes into a project like that, but I am thinking you enjoyed most of it. Saved you thousands of dollars too so can't beat that.

I'm thinking the winery is probably best as a hobby! As far as dogs go, I think you should be able to claim them, have you gotten a vet bill lately? I first started woodworking as a teen due to the fact I was broke but needed furniture, I bought a circular saw and some sandpaper and didn't have a clue. But as with anything, over time you get better, or loose a finger or two! Just kidding, nock on wood, I still have everything I was born with. Cabinets are really easy, anyone can build a box, the doors take a little more effort but some styles are really easy. My favorite hobby is making antique replicas, mostly early American styled pieces, and I try to make em the way they did in those days. I have stacks of lumber to play with, buying that sawmill was great for me. My biggest problem now is time, I have too many projects going! If I could only clone myself! Be well.

 

[Dani]

I have to ask if you do woodworking for an income? As in making cabinets or whatever else. You definitely have talent and there are so many that would appreciate the antique replicas.

 

[Brent S]

I have to ask if you do woodworking for an income? As in making cabinets or whatever else. You definitely have talent and there are so many that would appreciate the antique replicas.

Hey lady, I was a general carpenter for years and used woodworking in a lot of projects. My first business after getting out of the army was called country craft woodworks. I had a small shop and small retail store beside each other. I filled the store with quilt racks, shelving units, and all kinds of cute country stuff. I really had fun with it. The problem was I did sell stuff, but all the profit was eaten up with the overhead. I worked for a little over a year and a half, and luckily I made just enough to walk away with no debt, but I hadn't taken home any income either. I also think if I did it full time it would take the fun out of it for me. Most of the tools I have help improve my house, work on preps, and fix just about anything around here. I'm content to make things for friends and family as gifts. I'm about to make a walnut cradle for a daughter in fla. who's about 5 mo. pregnant now. I'll post a pict. for you when I'm done.

 

[Dani]

Hey lady, I was a general carpenter for years and used woodworking in a lot of projects. My first business after getting out of the army was called country craft woodworks. I had a small shop and small retail store beside each other. I filled the store with quilt racks, shelving units, and all kinds of cute country stuff. I really had fun with it. The problem was I did sell stuff, but all the profit was eaten up with the overhead. I worked for a little over a year and a half, and luckily I made just enough to walk away with no debt, but I hadn't taken home any income either. I also think if I did it full time it would take the fun out of it for me. Most of the tools I have help improve my house, work on preps, and fix just about anything around here. I'm content to make things for friends and family as gifts. I'm about to make a walnut cradle for a daughter in fla. who's about 5 mo. pregnant now. I'll post a pict. for you when I'm done.

I would love to see some pic of that cradle when your done. We have an on-line free classified section in our area, not sure if you do in yours, but I was just thinking that you could probably work out of your home and make an income on you craft. But it does sound like you keep yourself busy enough on your own projects around your homestead without any extras to add. Just a thought for down the road sometime maybe. . .

 

[Brent S]

I would love to see some pic of that cradle when your done. We have an on-line free classified section in our area, not sure if you do in yours, but I was just thinking that you could probably work out of your home and make an income on you craft. But it does sound like you keep yourself busy enough on your own projects around your homestead without any extras to add. Just a thought for down the road sometime maybe. . .

I'm on the board for a craft co op that has a handmade craft retail store in Clayton ga. If I had any ambition I'd put some some stuff in it. The co op was set up in the 60's by a grant from the fed gvt to help keep some of the local artisans traditions alive here in the southern applications. They set these up all over the country in specific areas. It's pretty cool that it's been around for all these years as a non profit. Were in trouble though, the economy is weak, and people just aren't buying stuff like they used to. We have enough money to stay open for about 1 more year, but don't see much longer than that.

 

[Dani]

It's a shame really. . . there are so many wonderful craftsman out there that specialize in different items and I am not talking just woodworking. I know a lady that lives around here that makes goat cheese to sell and can barely keep up with orders but I also have a friend who's specialty is leather work and he is barely hanging on. I guess it depends on what you are selling and what part of the country you live in.

 

[Gazrok]

Beautiful cabinets! I'd love to redo ours, (and the countertops), but just so many other things ahead of it. It's in the 5-year plan though. Mostly, I'm just looking to remove the drawers and doors, replace those with better looking ones, and better rollers, etc. We already changed out the appliances to all steel.

Wow that is a lot of wine!

 

[Brent S]

I just picked the first squash and zuke from the greenhouse this season. I grilled a steak, the marinated zuke and roasted corn on the cob all on the grill. What a great way to end the day. I picked the zuke 5 mins. Before cooking it, you can't get much fresher than that. I also have a batch of zuch. bread almost done in the bread machine. It makes the house smell amazing. I had a couple glasses of wine with dinner, so I'm pretty content with life right now. I hope everyone else out there makes the best of their day too.

 

[Dani]

I just made zucchini muffins, cake and 2 loaves of bread all with cream cheese icing Wed last week . . . the guys have already gone thru all of it. Grilled is soooo good though. Your dinner sounds like it would be very good and it always taste better when you grow your own! The produce at the store is just tasteless once you have your own garden.

 

[QuietH3art]

Let me know when you're ready to make jelly from those grapes. Consider canning juice, as well. I make lots of jams and jellies but always have to buy the fruit from the farmer's market. There just isn't enough room here to grow my own. My favorite to make and eat is applebutter from my great-grandma's recipe. I'm thinking of trying to find an apple farm to buy in bulk so I can sell it out at the farmer's market. Here in NC, they have Pink Lady apples - very sweet and make nice juice, jelly and applebutter.

 

[Brent S]

I just made zucchini muffins, cake and 2 loaves of bread all with cream cheese icing Wed last week . . . the guys have already gone thru all of it. Grilled is soooo good though. Your dinner sounds like it would be very good and it always taste better when you grow your own! The produce at the store is just tasteless once you have your own garden.

The icing is a great idea! This isn't really bread anyways, more like a cake. Do you buy it or make your own? I'm not very experienced with desserts/baking. I'm really craving a fresh tomatoe as I finally gave up on buying any of the tasteless junk from wallyworld. I have green ones, but it will still be a little longer for fresh.

 

[Brent S]

Let me know when you're ready to make jelly from those grapes. Consider canning juice, as well. I make lots of jams and jellies but always have to buy the fruit from the farmer's market. There just isn't enough room here to grow my own. My favorite to make and eat is applebutter from my great-grandma's recipe. I'm thinking of trying to find an apple farm to buy in bulk so I can sell it out at the farmer's market. Here in NC, they have Pink Lady apples - very sweet and make nice juice, jelly and applebutter.

Humm, do I really want to waste grapes on silly things like food when there's wine to be made! JK! I haven't tried any jellies yet but probably will this year. I'm really not a big jelly fan, but they will make great gifts. Last year I had tons of apples, but I pruned the heck out of the trees this winter, and will only get a couple baskets this season. I knew I would hurt this years harvest, but should be worth it for coming years. What is apple butter? Sounds interesting. I did apple cider, canned a bunch, and my favorite was Dehydrated apple chips. The canned apples are great for pie filling but are pretty gross to just eat plain.

 

[Myrrph]

good stuff brent. Soon you can pay for your preps in wine bottles!

or new bottles in wine! lol!

 

[QuietH3art]

Humm, do I really want to waste grapes on silly things like food when there's wine to be made! JK! I haven't tried any jellies yet but probably will this year. I'm really not a big jelly fan, but they will make great gifts. Last year I had tons of apples, but I pruned the heck out of the trees this winter, and will only get a couple baskets this season. I knew I would hurt this years harvest, but should be worth it for coming years. What is apple butter? Sounds interesting. I did apple cider, canned a bunch, and my favorite was Dehydrated apple chips. The canned apples are great for pie filling but are pretty gross to just eat plain.

When you make your own, you will enjoy it. And you don't have to make 400 jars of it. I wish you and I lived closer, we could really do some bartering. Apple butter starts with an applesauce base, add sugar, cinnamon, cloves and a few other things, bake it forever then put it in jars and let them seal. It is perfect on fresh homemade biscuits.

I usually make about a dozen 1/2 pint jars of each strawberry jam, grape jelly, apple jelly and applebutter each year and I always gift most of it away.

 

[Dani]

The icing is a great idea! This isn't really bread anyways, more like a cake. Do you buy it or make your own? I'm not very experienced with desserts/baking. I'm really craving a fresh tomatoe as I finally gave up on buying any of the tasteless junk from wallyworld. I have green ones, but it will still be a little longer for fresh.

Make my own. . . only need cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and a little milk. I had a friend who gave me 6 lbs of tomatoes a few days ago. I planted after he did, but I ended up making 12 pints of salsa from his and ended up giving my buddy 6 jars in trade for 6 empty jar. Yeah, he was a happy guy. I have picked a couple of my own, but my crop is coming. . . Just now turning so in a few more days, I will have a ton!! So I will be canning most of those up too. You just can beat the homegrown stuff.

 

[Brent S]

Make my own. . . only need cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and a little milk. I had a friend who gave me 6 lbs of tomatoes a few days ago. I planted after he did, but I ended up making 12 pints of salsa from his and ended up giving my buddy 6 jars in trade for 6 empty jar. Yeah, he was a happy guy. I have picked a couple of my own, but my crop is coming. . . Just now turning so in a few more days, I will have a ton!! So I will be canning most of those up too. You just can beat the homegrown stuff.

Sounds good, I've got to learn more about baking. I have close to 70 tomato plants, but all the fruits are still small and green. I'm dying for a fresh blt sandwich! I am getting beans, cukes, squash and zukes now. Still, tomatoes are one of my favorite things out of the garden. I was amazed when I picked some of the lower 'sucker' branches off the tomatoes and put them in the ground and they started growing. I have about ten new plants growing now. I had no idea a vegetable could be that hardy. Pretty cool stuff. Hope you have a great night.

 

[Silent Bob]

Make my own. . . only need cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and a little milk. I had a friend who gave me 6 lbs of tomatoes a few days ago. I planted after he did, but I ended up making 12 pints of salsa from his and ended up giving my buddy 6 jars in trade for 6 empty jar. Yeah, he was a happy guy. I have picked a couple of my own, but my crop is coming. . . Just now turning so in a few more days, I will have a ton!! So I will be canning most of those up too. You just can beat the homegrown stuff.

See why couldn't I be your neighbor, I'll just go buy the empty jars, tomatoes, spices...and the lot...you can them...then I wouldn't have to learn! LOL...tell your husband that when SHTF, I;m bring you and him with the clan with me...lol.

Did I tell you, wife has the black thumb for plants...okay my only negative things I've said about her to you. ...

 

[Dani]

lol . . I told my neighbor friend I would teach him the salsa thing, but he said no, You do it so well. . . Whatever!! Gotta love the old cowboy though. He has taught me alot of what I know about carin and doctorin for my critters, so I am indebted to him. If the old man wants to be stubborn cuss about salsa and other water bath items he could do easily. . . it's ok.

Your biting off more than you can chew wantin hunny and I in a SHTF situation. Sorry bud, I aint leavin. . . . You'd just have to come down south. Sorry about the wife and her black thumb, but I know she has other talents that would be fruitful. . . lol

 

[Dani]

Sounds good, I've got to learn more about baking. I have close to 70 tomato plants, but all the fruits are still small and green. I'm dying for a fresh blt sandwich! I am getting beans, cukes, squash and zukes now. Still, tomatoes are one of my favorite things out of the garden. I was amazed when I picked some of the lower 'sucker' branches off the tomatoes and put them in the ground and they started growing. I have about ten new plants growing now. I had no idea a vegetable could be that hardy. Pretty cool stuff. Hope you have a great night.

Fried green tomatoes!! Yummy. . . if I had that many plants oh yeah baby, I would definitely be making some, but I only have 12 plants this year so mine will be for other reasons and it's ok. Honestly, I have never tried to plant the suckers so that is nice to know. I hope you have a good night as well

 

[Dani]

See why couldn't I be your neighbor, I'll just go buy the empty jars, tomatoes, spices...and the lot...you can them...then I wouldn't have to learn! LOL...tell your husband that when SHTF, I;m bring you and him with the clan with me...lol.

Did I tell you, wife has the black thumb for plants...okay my only negative things I've said about her to you. ...

Stop by and I'll give you a jar and of coarse in return of an empty jar. .

 

[Silent Bob]

lol . . I told my neighbor friend I would teach him the salsa thing, but he said no, You do it so well. . . Whatever!! Gotta love the old cowboy though. He has taught me alot of what I know about carin and doctorin for my critters, so I am indebted to him. If the old man wants to be stubborn cuss about salsa and other water bath items he could do easily. . . it's ok.

Your biting off more than you can chew wantin hunny and I in a SHTF situation. Sorry bud, I aint leavin. . . . You'd just have to come down south. Sorry about the wife and her black thumb, but I know she has other talents that would be fruitful. . . lol

Lol, I know, Can't blame a guy for trying. Told Alabaster, I would need to work on you to see if you and hunny would come to the national Meet and Greet. Of course, I told him, you were not the type to leave the animal unattended, as I've ever tried to entice you to take a vacation.

Maybe, what I need to do is do the North Dakota thing...search google for the "Cheesecake Hall of Fame" place and then send you the website...lol, maybe a bit of cheesecake will force you to take a trip to taste them. lol. Dang googled it, no such place.

 

[Brent S]

Stop by and I'll give you a jar and of coarse in return of an empty jar. .

I think I'm lucky to get 1 in 10 of the jars back! I think I need new friends!

 

[Dani]

I do love

I think I'm lucky to get 1 in 10 of the jars back! I think I need new friends!

Totally understand, which is why I ask for a jar when picking up whatever I have to share. Most everyone knows how I am and already expect this. Year ago I did it the other way around and like you, normally wouldn't receive my jar back and that is the expensive part of canning.

 

[Brent S]

I read something years ago that said if your willing to loan something you should be willing to give it as a gift. I think I understand it better now.