I'm just a girl trying to find her own custom groove in this world without bending to the expectations of others.

Monday, September 25, 2006

Just Like the Pioneers

We've been preparing for winter like little squirrels over here. Just like the first settlers rendered the fat and salted the pork, harvested and canned their vegetables and fruit and chopped and stock piled wood in preparation for the long, cold winters, we've been equally busy stashing away our winter forages too.

BEER!

We bottled over 30 gallons of beer this past weekend. Wheat, Oktoberfest, Brown Ale, Chai Tea Beer and Red Ale. OH! and we made 20 gallons of hard cider and five gallons of apple wine. We still have to make a couple Christmas beers too. Remember, this isn't all for our consumption. We do give it away as gifts and we have parties. I think we should open our own microbrew pub.

We also spent the weekend canning apples. We got all these apples (for only $20).....

and with the help of my good friend and neighbor.....


We turned them into this - applesauce and dessert apples for pies and such.....
(plus the five gallons of wine)

21 comments:

Rebecca said...

WOW! I'm impressed!! And your kitchen seemingly stayed so clean! :)

Your opening paragraph reminded me so much of the Little House on the Praire books I used to read when I was a kid. I've to this day always wanted to try smoked, salted venison.... ;)

chesneygirl said...

Ooooooo!!! I can. not. wait! :)

My parents were over on your side of the state this weekend and they brought home $50 worth of Honey Crisp Apples!! Do you get those?

They are THEE BEST apple EVER! but they are extremely hard to find.

I'll be picking up my bag from them today after work! :)

Martie said...

Hey, I'll be over to pick up my batch of canned apples and a case of the homebrew later today before it all disappears! LOL

You are extremely talented on many fronts little lady!

Love ya!!

Bainwen Gilrana said...

Apple wine? I don't really like wine, but that sounds so exceedingly tasty!

Theresa said...

I'm in awe. I can't imagine how you managed to accomplish all of that in one weekend.
Geez! I was proud of myself for mowing the lawn, finishing the laundry and taking a nap.

Renee said...

Wow, y'all have been busy. Nice kitchen too!

Anonymous said...

wow, that's a lot of work! We had an apple tree in New Mexico that only produced apples one of the three years we lived there and I put up apples that fall. I got so sick of peeling them. My kitchen looked no where near as neat and orderly as yours did when I was doing it.

Nelly said...

Holy apples and holy beer! I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Joy said...

Holy Wow! Can we say, "Martha Stewart"???

Lisa M. said...

I love the harvest season.

I love to hear the lids *pop*

Thanks for making me smile.

clew said...

You make me ill.

I MISS THAT KITCHEN! I can actually envision standing right there where your neighbor is, drinking chocolate coffee with you.

Or beer. ;)

Cant wait to see you, sistah! XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Spin_Doc1 said...

In case you didn't know, I love to drink.

Ame said...

i am SO impressed! you amaze me! i don't think there's anything you can't do!!!

Rebecca said...

Happy Blogarita Festive Weekend Chickie!

Big Ben said...

No apple pie?

Nunzia said...

you have a gorgeous kitchen! That is dedication lol :) How have you been?? aside from bottling bear and cutting up apples?? lol

clew said...

Post a new post already, dammit.

See you in a couple hours. EEP!

clew said...

P.S. Did you notice Nunzia said bottling BEAR? How funny is that!

Michelle said...

Yes, quite funny. Apparently, neither of us can spell. :-/

Me said...

Yeah for you! Awesome job. I was contemplating some simple wine making this Fall but never got around to it... LOL. I've never done beer but it sounds fun.

clew said...

Hey y'all! I had some of this applesauce during Blogarita weekend.

Best.
Applesauce.
EVER!

I miss you terribly, sistah ... :*(