can-do attitude

My folks have made a tradition out of canning grape juice on Labor Day weekend. We have this old vine that was growing in the backyard when we moved in eighteen years ago. It was transplanted to the back yard and has since undergone a few reconfigurations before dad build a fabulous pergola for the vines to grow on. They added a few different varieties to the collection but that old vine is really the one going strong and producing. Dad attached lattis to the top of the pergola so the vines grow up there on top.

Zachary, Dad and Jason climbed on top of the structure to get all the grapes. There was a bumper crop this year.  I was out of town so Mom sent me this photo.  The best.

I always have to pop one in my mouth to taste.  They taste really good at first until you get to the gooshy pit.

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Each jar gets a certain amount of grapes and sugar and then filled with water.

Water bath until the timer goes off.

We are sure to clean them too to prevent as much unwanted "protein" from sneaking in.

The whole dining room table was full!  They are all stashed neatly into our cellar now.

The juice will have to sit for a while while the flavor is extracted from the grapes. To drink it we strain all the grape parts out and add ice. It's a staple around the Telschow dinner table.

This past weekend I came home from my Sunday outing to Renegade and found these eighteen jars of tomatoes all canned up on the table.

The apple trees are looking pretty loaded down with fruit.  It could be apple saucing this weekend...