Monday, June 11, 2012

We've got GRAPES growing!

Three years ago, we planted 8 grape vines, purchased from the Fedco seed sale. We waited and watched those grapes over the summer, fall and winter. When the following Spring came, we hoped and hoped that they survived. 5 of them did, but barely grew any new leaves or branches. The next year, we repeated the cycle, just hoping they would survive and grow. And, though four of them made a little more "progress", to actually call it so aloud was painfully stretching its definition. But, as the saying goes- hope springs eternal for optimists.


Last year, we added 3 new grape plants to the "vineyard" (Oh, yes! That is what I do call it. All pitiful 8 grape vines of it.) with dreams of that future day when Sean, the girls and I would enjoy grapes for our table and wine for our bellies. (Sean and I, not the girls, of course.)

Today, I found these. The "these" in question are budding GRAPES. Lots of small clusters of them. On 5 of the 8 vines. GRAPES. After 3 years of waiting and hoping, we have the possibility of delicious, juicy, wonderful grapes to harvest this year. Which means that next year, we might have enough of them growing to be able to add them to the CSA shares we plan on selling. This proof of life is also a green light for us to plant an additional 4 vines this year. It is a small pat on the back, of encouragement to our hearts, the fruitage of patience and the realization that maybe, just maybe we are not completely and utterly barking mad for attempting this endeavour to begin with.  

And, in some future year, we may even have enough to make that bottle of wine.

Thanks for visiting!
Sonja ♥

2 comments:

  1. I guess it is more important now to keep the goats where they belong. I am sure they would love to nibble those vines.

    ReplyDelete