Current Conditions

Neptune Grapes & Muscadines Begin

We will start picking the NEPTUNE GRAPES Wednesday 8/18.

There are still MARS SEEDLESS GRAPES but you have to walk all the way to the back of the field (where you turn to come in our driveway). These grapes are delicious! The Venus and Jupiter are gone.

Picking time per gallon of BLUEBERRIES continues to increase. There are still some- mainly in the Tif and Powderblue, but they are in pockets, and you have to scout for them. Recent rains(1 inch 8/12, 0.25 inch 8/14, and 1/2 inch 8/15) after 25 days of drought, helped, but came a little too late.

FIGS have slowed up. There are still figs... just not as much volume as earlier. So the early birds are getting the figs.

The MUSCADINES came along quickly in the bronze types... especially "Early Fry" – and those picking conditions are already very good. The black and red muscadines are still not ready.

HOW TO PICK A MUSCADINE GRAPE -
Grapes are not climacteric- which means they will not ripen after they are picked. If you pick them green or sour they will remain green and sour. You pick Muscadines one berry at a time. You do not pick clusters. The best way to pick a muscadine, bronze or black, is by softness. You need to look at the grape and judge by the color if it needs to be felt. Then feel the grape ... if it is hard do not pick it. If you think it is a little soft the next step is to do a test eating. Is it sweet??? is the skin tender??? Repeat this process until you learn by feel what is a ripe muscadine grape. If you look at the end of the rows you can see the names of the varieties in each row. The pollinators insects of muscadines, tiny green bees, move up and down rows and do not move across rows so that is the reason for two varieties in each row. The bottom line is- if you are using color to decide whether or not to feel a berry you have to associate the color with the variety. This is not as difficult as it sounds... after a little bit you will recognize that this vine is a little more bronze or this is has a little pink or this is a little more yellow so you know when to feel the grape. In no time at all you will become an experienced muscadine picker and with such big berries the bucket is fill very quickly.

From the north? Have fond memories of cherry pie? Well "when in Rome do as the Romans" ... the southern equivalent of cherry pie is hull (muscadine) pie. Check the recipe at our web site.

We made some great Muscadine Juice last year from both the bronze and the black muscadines. At Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas dinner our extended family went wild over it. We used a steam juicer we got from Lehman's Supply, www.lehmans.com . They have 2 models $70 and $190. We got the $70 version and made about 15 gallons that we drank fresh and froze a bunch for the winter.

The JACQUES GRAPES are ready! These seeded grapes are only $1.25 per pound. They are great for juice, jams and jellies, pie and wine. This is a dark blue-black grape that has a good strong flavor.

PEACHES: Wed 8/18 and Thursday 8/19 will be the last delivery of peaches. Sweet Sue is the variety, and just like it sounds, it is a very sweet peach. Like other red skin peaches, it is not only a tasty treat, it is great for freezing and for cooking.

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR ENTHUSIASM AND SUPPORT!