Merlot Grape Jelly

How is it?

Another rainy day in the winterless up north.

Picked 2 buckets of grapes when taking the nets off the Merlot.

Have decided to try my hand at making Merlot Grape Jelly!

Ended up with five and a half jars of jelly.

Made a few videos of the process.

The proof of a good Merlot Grape Jelly is in the tasting on toast. Can't wait.

Nets are off

How is it?

Took the nets off the vines. 24th April. Long grass.

Did a final rack of the merlot, Got two 1 gal demijohns.

A not to good year in the quanity but hopefully we will make up

for this in the quality.

Picked another two buckets of merlot grapes from the second fruit

set that occured this year. Brix 18.2. Alot of the bunches, most in fact, are suffering from wasp attack. Will make some grape jelly out of these.

Moira is in the garden taking out the last of the tomatoes. Picked a good lot of beetroot. Will

have these with dinner tonight. Lamb chops, 3 off, also some beans from our garden, out of the freezer.

Jaz jumped out the window to run after the kids.... They caught him and bought him back.

Last Feijoa Summer Wine

How is it?

Picked the last few Feijoa fruit off the trees. 23rd April 2011. Got a bee sting while wearing Crocs, right foot under 3rd toe. Managed to get 5 buckets of touch picked fruit.

Jaz enjoyed the run in the Fejoa blocks. Got his long lead in a tangle a few times.

Regulations covering Winemaking

How is it?

Having a look at having a go at winemaking using excess Feijoas.

At the moment we make a few litres for our own consumption.

What steps do we need to take to go commerical? Is it worth the extra cost?

See

http://www.foodsafety.govt.nz/industry/sectors/wine/making-wine.htm

Very small winemakers

Winemakers are exempt from the requirement to register a wine standards management plan if they meet two criteria:

1. they make less than 10,000 litres of wine each year, and
2. all their wine is sold in New Zealand.

If you would like to use this exemption provision, you must notify the NZFSA that you meet the exemption criteria by using form WA3. There is no charge for this notification. All winemakers who have submitted form WA3 to the NZFSA are listed on the exempt small winemakers list.

Cheers

Feijoas at Matakohe

How is it?

It's that time of year again.

In full picking mode.

Fruit goes in from one end, along the worm thread, and drops out sorted.

The first bay under the yellow tray is for the too small fruit.

Second small

Third medium

Forth Large

Small 45 - 65 gms

Medium 65 - 90

Large 90- +

We have a heap of small and the ratio seems to be 2 small trays for every medium tray.

Need to prune and thin trees for medium size.

Watch this space next year.

New grader is working well.

Video