Category: grapes

Nest with raisins

CatherineLeave a comment

We actually don’t eat many concord grapes, so a lot of the production of this row of grapevines goes to waste. I’m still trying to figure out how to use the vines for projects like basketry. I use an occasional leaf or two to cover up a ferment. The leaves contain tannin and are supposed to help keep fermented pickles crisp.

A few weeks ago I was exploring the vine jungle and found this nest, with a cluster of grapes resting in it. I just left them there, not thinking too much about it.

Today I was cutting back and cleaning up the tangle of grapevines and found the nest again. This time with a handful of raisins in it.

Iced grapes

CatherineLeave a comment

I tackled a nasty chore today and was rewarded with a bowl of super sweet cold Concord grapes — frozen and thawed at least once, maybe more.

I had to remove and rewind the netting fence that we put up in the spring as a temporary chicken run. Bad idea in retrospect. The grape vines grew through the netting at the top and the weeds infiltrated it at the bottom. The whole mess had to be cut through and pulled out. The netting is lying in the yard now, waiting for me to get the energy to rewind it on the tall cardboard tube.

For now, can’t stop eating these tasty grapes.