About Making Raisins

I’ve had this romantic idea of turning these beautiful bunches of grapes into raisins by hanging the bunches from their stems in the storeroom or even in the kitchen. So yesterday I cut the bunches leaving long stems and leaves on them. They’re gorgeous. Then I wondered, should I wash them? And maybe they need something to keep them from mildewing?

I referred the issues to Google and quickly learned how to make raisins: The grapes must be pulled from their stems, sorted, washed and parboiled for 30 to 60 seconds in order to split their skins so they can dry. Then they need an “antimicrobial pretreatment”-- a good soaking in a solution of citric acid and water or one part lemon juice to one part water. After that they go into a dehydrator for 24-48 hours.

The grapes are still on the kitchen counter. And I'm sitting here writing this instead of parboiling them.

Please forgive me for showing off a little. I planted this grapevine about six years ago. The grapes are sweet, for eating or for drying into raisins. Alas, not for wine.

Ventura County Fair

I went to the county fair last Friday. It was the day the 4-H, FFA and Grange kids sell their animals at auction. Goats, pigs, lambs, cattle, chickens, rabbits. Animals their young owners have fed, bathed, exercised and mucked out after for months. This takes character and builds character. They understand that the animals are not pets, that they are an important part of the food chain. Nevertheless there are some tears when the kids lead their animals back to their pens after they have paraded around the sales ring in front of the crowd of supporters and bidders, barraged by the drumming rhythm of the auctioneer’s incessant “Do I hear now …..?” Goats sold for $5, $6, $7 a pound. The ones I saw weighed between 65 and 100 pounds. The grand champion market lamb sold for $12 a pound and the grand champion chicken sold for a whopping $700! How much was that a pound I wonder. The buyers were ranchers, a towing company, individuals. The animals end up in the freezer or some may be as lucky as the Reserve Champion Replacement Heifer that sold for $3,800 and was going to a ranch in Somis “to become a mom,” as her 13-year-old owner told the local newspaper.

Our county fair showcases old fashioned values that are rooted in the land. The rows and rows of jellies, preserves and canned fruits and vegetables may appear quaint to those who never have had fruit trees or vegetable gardens. In Ventura County anyone can have a Meyer lemon or a plum tree in her yard. My ranch has a family orchard-- plums, peaches and oranges planted between the lemon trees along the driveway. When we first came here there were also apricots, nectarines and apples but those trees died of old age. Ben made a great apple pie. For years I felt guilty about all the fruit that wasted on the ground. I finally couldn’t stand it and learned to make jam. We also made apple butter. I still have some in the storeroom, fifteen years later. I wonder if it’s any good.

The county’s produce was proudly displayed in abundance in the Ag Building. It’s a real feat to grow a giant pumpkin for an August fair, but some one did it and won a blue ribbon for the effort. Gorgeous tomatoes of all varieties and sizes filled long tables. Underwood Farms had a beautiful display of virtually every vegetable ever seen on an American table. They are famous for tiny, succulent vegetables but grow many other crops including great tasting blueberries. I can’t think of a fruit or vegetable that is not grown in this county. A fellow even grew bananas commercially up until a few years ago when he had a dispute with his landlord and got kicked off the land, bananas and all.

It’s wise to remember: Never bite the hand that feeds you.

August

August.

Nearly the end of the farm year. All the fruit that will be picked this year has been picked. All the trees have been pruned and the brush has been shredded. Tomorrow we will irrigate and fertilize the orchard. When that is done it will be time to spray the trees for bud mite and broad mite, two tiny organisms that disfigure the fruit and harm the tree. This will be the end of the major activities in the orchard until it is time to pick again early next spring. Still there is always the routine of irrigating every three or four weeks and throwing snail bait and spraying weeds.

Now is a time when the heart beats a bit slower and one breathes a bit easier.