Sunday, July 15, 2007

Conclusion of the Cherries


Woohoo!! The pie cherries are all done! After pitting the 9 millionth, two hundredth and sixty second cherry I wondered if it was all worth it? I know you can buy a can of pie filling at the store for around 3 bucks with a lot less work and a quick trip to town. It was around 1:30 AM when I finished canning and processing, and I finally got to bed around 2. The next morning I got up and made two cherry cheesecakes, 1 deep dish cherry pie, and a dozen cherry tarts. Yup, it's all worth it! I can't believe the difference between store bought and homemade :) I put a couple of plates of everything together and dropped one off at my MIL's and then headed up to Bert's. He smiled and thanked me. That made it all worthwhile.

While I was there Jaycee (Bert's caretaker) and I took a walk around the ranch. We were looking at the apricots to see if they are ready yet.... from what we could count there are at least 10 full size apricot trees! And they are hanging down with fruit, oh joy, I can picture apricot jam, canned apricots, fruit leather, brandy, etc. Some of them are close but a couple more days and I think they will be perfect. Then there's Bert's grapevine... this picture shows only a small portion of it.



The grapevine starts at the corner of the porch, wraps around the house towards the right, wraps around the porch to the left and through a huge apricot tree, and at the corner of the porch it follows an old hydro line up the driveway! Have you ever seen anything like that? I wish they were seedless grapes so I could dehydrate them but unfortunately they're not. I'm not a wine drinker so I think I'll have to pass on the grapes, other than a bit for eating :)
Well I'm off to bake some bread, check the roast I have in the oven for supper, and then I just might put my feet up and take a break before I start my Yorkshires! Oh, and before I go, the cherry pie filling recipe I used is excellent but I wanted to make a little bit extra for all that baking the next day. So on the second batch I added at least two-three more cups of cherries and 2 more cups of water without changing anything else... they turned out great and I had the extra I needed the next day.

5 comments:

Dora Renee Wilkerson said...

That is the BIGGEST grapevine I have ever seen. You also have apricots, oh man... I love those... You lucky girl.

I tell you Kansasa, I think I am going to bring my goats and come move in with you! I'll help you pick the fruits! Please?! lol..

Really, you have a wonderful place. I so enjoy reading everything you do and you have some of the best pictures.

When we do move I hope to find a place with lots of full grown fruit trees (I'd love to have some grapevines as well.. I love grapes!)

Well take care. I am late on Milking and my goat isn't going to be happy with me.

Dora Renee' Wilkerson

Anonymous said...

Hi Kansas
Wow! what a beautiful color. They look done to perfection and to keep that beautiful color I am sure is a true art. I do think when you don't have a fall fair up there you should bring all your stuff and enter it here. You would Wow! the socks off this big city for sure. It certainly takes first prize in my books. You do too by the way. Have a great day.
Love ya Loads Mom

Jackie said...

Cherries, apricots, AND grapes? I am so moving to your neck of the woods and becoming friends with Bert! How about grape jelly. I know that grape jelly wouldn't even put a small dent in his grape vines but grape jelly is a wonderful thing!

Anonymous said...

Hi Kansas - you incredibly BUSY WOMAN!! The cherries look luscious - the pies sounds scrumptious and that grapevine is incredible! =) So, next it will be pitting and canning apricots?

When you said Yorkshires - do you mean Yorkshire pudding? My mil used to make incredible yorkshire pudding and my husband and bil miss it terribly (she passed away some time ago). I tried to make it once and it turned out, well, embarassing and I never tried again. I figured I'd just let that wonderful memory of my mil's live on without polluting it with my poor attempts. =( Do you have a fabulous recipe you'd be willing to share, with step-by-step explicit instructions??? =)

I love reading what your mom writes to you - so sweet! =)

Also, you could always start homeschooling again if you miss it! =)

David T. Macknet said...

Oh, no. Don't pass on those grapes. Steam-juice them (it's faster, and extracts more sugar) and use them to sweeten your preserves. Also use that juice as the base for clear jellies.

I'm just envious that you've got such fabulous produce, and can do something with it!