31 Days of My Real Farm Life - Day 10



31 Days of Life on Our Farm!

Hi!  I'm so glad to be able to talk to you today.  I tried to yesterday, but my page wouldn't load, and I thought I might not ever see you again.  It was still messed up  this morning, but sometime during the day it fixed itself.  I'm so glad.

Yesterday I made wine.  I usually follow the Welch's Grape Juice Wine recipe.  But I change it a little because we are using  our own fresh squeezed grape juice instead of frozen concentrate.  We had four gallons of juice, which made 5 and a half gallons of wine. 

I start with one gallon of grape juice.  I pour about half the gallon into a separate container.  I put 4 cups of sugar and 1/2 tsp of yeast into a bowl.  I add about a cup of warm water.  Just enough to dissolve the sugar and yeast.  I add this sugar mix back to the grape in the gallon jug.  I stir, then add some of the extra grape juice to finish filling the jug.  I leave about 1 - 2 inches empty.  To finish, I put a balloon on the neck of the bottle.  I numbered the balloons in the order I bottled them. 

Inabout an hour, the balloons will start to inflate as the yeast starts the brewing process.  The wine bottles will sit in a cool place for 6 - 8 weeks.  I will check them daily.  Sometimes the balloon blows off, and I have to put a new one on, and hope I found it in time!  One day after about 6 weeks, we will go in and the balloon will be deflated.  When that happens, the wine is ready!  Then we will re-bottle it, or just put the cap on the jug.  You can drink it at that point, or it will continue to age and get better the longer you leave it.  This is the fourth year I have made wine.  Last year Pappy was bored because he had just retired.  He experimented with several types of juices.  Every one's favorite wine that year was blackberry!  But, we didn't get to have any cobblers or pies because he stole all my fruit out of the freezer!  Some people use a rubber glove instead of balloons, on top of their jugs.  That is a comical sight!

Here are a few of the jugs on day 2.  Notice how the balloons are inflated? 

Last night was the Bible in 90 Days Congrats Twitter Party!  Saturday was day 90.  So many were able to finish the Bible (some for the first time) and we celebrated that last night.  I have read the Bible though three times previously.  I am not finished yet this time.  I got a little too distracted with life, I guess.  But I am starting John, and I think I will be finished in about a week.

Thanks for stopping by!  Honey