A good season

I have successfully filled my chest freezer!

I was worried it would be too big, but then, nothing like a food challenge to get the old juices flowing. Yesterday while I sat outside swatting wasps away from the bushel of grapes I was stemming, I got to thinking how last year I had bought only 1/2 bushel. Oops.

But a deal is a deal. Last year I was able to get away with separating the grapes and freezing them, but this year I was so late, I had to take a bushel of small grapes (not enough rain I was told) that were very ripe..in fact, many had split already. That meant no waiting. I made about 22 litres of juice, which will still be diluted a bit for drinking. That's a lot of grape jam/juice/stained fingers. Hooray! Next year, they'll be organic.

Also, on Saturday a few of us went out to Guelph to pick up 4 bushels of apples to share and 50 bags of organic cider. I got about 17 of those bags (each bag 1.3 litres). We paid $1.80/bag and it's glorious stuff. I'm definitely refining what I like to keep. As for the apples, I think I'll steer clear of sauce mostly and can some apple butter and maybe try some apple jelly. Once I'm though that bushel, I'm through with the harvest season. I've had my last day at the market, I've had my last day at the farm. It's been a good season.

Now, bring on the cold.