The raisin project - Day 18

We have had grapes down the side of our yard for many years.  The past few years they have really taken off, and this is the second year we had so many we could make grapes.  I do find it very ironic that they have finally become so prolific as the number of people living in our home is shrinking!!!

This year, John made a trellis so 1) the neighbor's horses wouldn't eat the grapes, and 2) the grapes would hang down and make it easier to pick the bunches.  The trellis is a great success!!  Unfortunately, it was a BAD year for wasps and they were as eager to get to our grapes as we were.  They ate a lot, and consequently, we picked the rest of the grapes before they were completely ripe.  Through the process of dehydrating them, though, they do become sweet and tasty.  

Ready to be washed and picked off the stems...
These will make some delicious golden raisins.

On the trays, waiting to go into the dehydrator.  I'm not going to lie.  Picking them off the stems is a mindless, boring job, made much easier by a good movie!!

In the dehydrator.
Here is a funny thing.  When I was looking at this picture on my camera, sans reading glasses, I couldn't figure out where I would have taken a picture of a black plaque with green lettering on it!!  (My eye dr. husband will not find that amusing!!  :)

One of the finished trays.  I did 2 full batches this year.  18 total trays.

Ready to be put into quart jars...

The finished product on the pantry shelves. We have 13 1/2 quarts this year.
We won't think about how many quarts the wasps got!