We have wild grapes! We have probably always had wild grapes and I just didn’t know it. We have a large grapevine on our old TV antennae attached to the back of the house, but I have usually cut it down every year. Last year I left it alone, mostly due to a lack of time and energy to deal with it. (Last year was the “year of the dogs” and a lot of things got “left alone”.)
This year, I discovered grapes on it and the world of wild grapes opened up! It is covered with them, but there are even more growing and fruiting on a few back fence areas that I didn’t know were there. At this time of year our back fence is unapproachable due to the goldenrod and blackberry bushes. With the hope of wild grapes in mind, I blazed a path through the weeds to the fence and found several enormous vines filled with grapes!
Half are ready now and half still need to ripen another week or so. Next week, on Monday morning, I will go grape picking again. The grapes growing in sunny areas are all ripe now. It is the ones in the shade against the woods that need to ripen a bit longer.
The picture at the top is what I picked now. I will probably get at least half that again in another week!
This is about 13 pounds of grapes. We weighed them at 11 pounds, then I found about 1/4 of a bucket more and added those. So I am estimating it at about 13 pounds. That’s the minimum amount needed to make 5 gallons (23 litres) of wine. Since I know there are more coming next week, I am going to wait. I do have some older, extra large 6.5 gallon carbuoys that I can use for this and make even more wine. What I like about the natural organic wines is that they still contain all the properties of the fruits and herbs, all the phytochemicals that make them so healthy.
I will also make some Wild Grape Jelly–some for ourselves and some for gifts in fancy jars.
We have truly been blessed with an abundance of wealth here on the land The Lord has given us! There is just so much here in the way of herbs, fruits, mushrooms and wild-crafting abundance!
Sheryl – Runningtrails blogs at Providence Acres Farm.
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Pete says:
I am sooooo jealous! We have plenty of wild grapevines around here, but have not figured out yet how to secure any of the yield for ourselves!!
Maybe next year. Or we will just continue to enjoy reading about what others do with their bounty. 😉
On September 6, 2011 at 11:02 am
0rlasha says:
They need a frost to sweeten up!
On September 6, 2011 at 12:25 pm
Sheryl - Runningtrails says:
We won’t be getting a frost for another six weeks or so. These are long gone by then.
On September 6, 2011 at 6:06 pm
Sheryl - Runningtrails says:
Hi Pete! Our grpevines don’t all produce either, only the older ones. I think they need to be left to grow for a few years and get really big before they will produce. These vines a good 1 – 1.5 inches across at the base and grow up into the trees for 25 feet. Way above my head, unfortunately. I considered climbing up the tree to pick them, but decided against it. I had more than I needed anyway. I did pull a lot of branches down.
I think they need some sun too. I’m sure your’s will produce too. Just keep an eye on them. Maybe your’s produce later? Some do, maybe keep checking?
On September 6, 2011 at 6:11 pm
Pete says:
Thanks for the insight. Some years ago, I was really excited when we saw berries for the first time on some of the old vines.
Production is not the issue here – getting the woodland critters to leave them alone so that we can have some of them, too, is the problem!
On September 7, 2011 at 6:35 am
Sheryl - Runningtrails says:
That would be a problem! I am surprised that we have so many, but have few small woodland critters here, even though I am surrounded by the county forest on two sides. We have an abundance of foxes and hawks. I guess they take care of the small creature problem. Except for the groundhogs…
On September 7, 2011 at 6:39 am
Ellen99019 says:
I would love to find wild grapes growing in our yard! We purchase our grapes to make our grape juice. All the grapes around here are still green as we had a late start to summer. Once we have juiced ours, we make grape jelly too.Grape juice is a sure sign of autumn in our area.
On September 8, 2011 at 12:05 am