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TerapinChef

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...so who's making some locally sourced (read, self-harvested/foraged/scavenged) wine? I'm kicking off my first spring "winemaking" with a dandelion, hopefully soon, then planning a big ol' batch of mulberry soon. Also, depending on what fruits show up cheap/plentiful this year, may play with some other things....
 
I could probably knock out 20-30 gallons of rhubarb wine for the huge patch I have, but I'm not fond of the stuff.
 
I'm growing blackberries, strawberries, and blueberries. Will use some of those if I can keep the wife and kids away from them long enough to gather up what I need. Knowing them I may get enough from all the types to make one batch. There a 6 strawberry plants, 4 blueberry bushes, and 5 blackberry bushes not to mention the 3 types of grapes growing on my fence.
 
I usually start with rhubarb, then dandelion, and the rest of the fruits as they come into season. I'm NOT making rhubarb this year, though. I have 6 gallons from 2008 that I still haven't bottled, and that's my goal for rhubarb this year. I bought the corks, got the bottles washed, but I've been procrastinating bottling it.

I make chokecherry, crabapple, apple, dandelion, blackberries (if I can get them), rhubarb, and catawba grape wine every year and throw in a sour cherry or cranberry batch every couple of years.
 
My new house has a ton of mint, so I was going to do something with that. Hubby has found a beer recipe for the lemon balm the house has, too. 5 blueberry bushes and some strawberries, grapes, and some marrion berries, but all those might be eaten before they ever become wine. My folks have a small apple orchard, so some cider later this fall.
 
I'm NOT making rhubarb this year, though. I have 6 gallons from 2008 that I still haven't bottled, and that's my goal for rhubarb this year. I bought the corks, got the bottles washed, but I've been procrastinating bottling it.

Well you could send a carboy or two this way...i'll bottle them!:ban:
 
Looks like I'll start with mayhaws from our trees in the yard, then dew berries growing wild in field. Looks like a bumper crop going by the blooms.
 
There's wild strawberries all over the meadow, but the critters get the crop. Still have 12 lbs of blackberries in the freezer that I didn't need for the wine last year. Have to decide between cider, jelly and back-sweetening.
 
I'm about 1/3 of the way to collecting enough for my first ever 5g batch of dandelion...it's actually easier than I thought!

Glad to hear it! Wanna sell me some?

We're a few weeks away from dandelions here, I think. But I'll be out there picking them as soon as they show their faces around here!
 
I'm waiting for elderberries and mulberries. There are 4 trees along the back parking lot at work of mulberries. And elderberries along every field. My dad often goes to a local farm auction, so I may plant a word or two in his ear about watching for inexpensive local produce. There's also a large local grocery here with a huge produce section that I shop at all the time, they get stuff in huge quantity, so run sales on various items alot. I'm looking forward to a busy summer!
 
Glad to hear it! Wanna sell me some?

We're a few weeks away from dandelions here, I think. But I'll be out there picking them as soon as they show their faces around here!

My technique is to go pick a whole lorryload of heads, I just pop em right off and throw em in a paper shopping bag. Then I go home, sit at the kitchen table with a big stainless steel moonbowl and a bunch of newspaper, and squeeze the green part that cradles the petals between my thumb and forefinger, kind of hard, with a bit of rolling motion. Then with my other hand I pull all the petals free with a quick plucking motion. It's so fast, and there's almost no green in the petals. If I can pull it off with my big fat ham fingers, I'm sure you'll make quick work of it yourself...
 
Will deffinetly make Dandelion + Rhubarb, Hoping to get 10-20 gallons of each. Can you make wine from apples?
 
Will deffinetly make Dandelion + Rhubarb, Hoping to get 10-20 gallons of each. Can you make wine from apples?

Yes! Apples make wonderful wine! I also use crabapples (not the little hard red ornamental ones, but true crabapples) and you can use the same recipe for apples. Generally, the more tart apples are better for wine. Apples that you would use for making pies are perfect.

Your technique sounds like mine, terapin. My fingers turn black in the spring as I depetal dandelions. I sit outside with a beer or three, on the deck in the shade, while I do it. I'm pretty lazy, so I prefer easier fruits, but the dandelion wine is so worth it!
 
I'm thinking I'll make a blueberry wine once they come in season. Jersey grows great blueberries.
 
Good, we have some Apple/Crabapple trees in our yard. Where do I find wine recipes?

We have several in the database. I have some under my "recipes" pull down.

Also, there is my favorite website for wine, JackKeller.net. He has hundreds of great proven recipes. His site is kinda hard to navigate but here is the link for his recipes: http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/request.asp
 
Dandelion will begin tonight. I repeat, Dandelion will begin tonight. I've got 1041 grams of dandelion petals, and will be finishing up the last 350 tonight barring any weather problems. Then it's time to be off and running! I hope it's good....but realistically I didn't hate it too much. Also I may have a good line on some tart cherries. Hmm...
 
Dandelion will begin tonight. I repeat, Dandelion will begin tonight. I've got 1041 grams of dandelion petals, and will be finishing up the last 350 tonight barring any weather problems. Then it's time to be off and running! I hope it's good....but realistically I didn't hate it too much. Also I may have a good line on some tart cherries. Hmm...

That sounds great! We finally have dandelions here, so it's time to pick them and get busy. I've been seriously procrastinating.

I'll buy your already depetaled dandelions from you, if you're willing to sell! :D
 
It's been awhile since I've made any wine, but I have about 1.5 gallons on dandelion wine fermenting right now. I'm hoping to get a good harvest of concord grapes and raspberries this year so I can make some fruit wine.

Eric
 
I'm thinking I'll make a blueberry wine once they come in season. Jersey grows great blueberries.

Thinking about making a Strawberry mead with some of Jersey You-pick-it berries as well as a wine with some Hammonton Blues.

I have about 2lbs of Jersey you-pick Strawberries in the freezer from last year as well as about 1 lbs of Jersey Peaches... might make a Ginger/Peach infuzed rum with those!
 
Great thread! This really hits to the core!

i just harvested a loquat tree and have 5G going with rosemary and rose blossom.

FL bluberries and honey came up and i have a 5G Melomel going with all farmers market/scavanged/harvested fruit plus backyard rosemary, and spearmint
 
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