Fruit & Friends

Everyone – meet Georges.  Georges is our neighbour, excellent local caterer, friend and resident grapevine.

Georges - the grape vine.

Our house sits on a smallish piece of land.  Each spring we expand our garden beds and experiment with new perennials so that ultimately, have less lawn to mow. (YEAH!)  This year we decided to add some vegetables to the mix.  Our tomato/green bean experiment was unsuccessful.  Turns out, we should have built a fence around the plants since neighbourhood bunnies had a lovely summer munching three rounds of plantings. Next year we will channel our Toronto roots and construct a G20 barrier to keep the critters OUT of the garden.  Live and learn.

We have a lovely grapevine thanks to our neighbour Georges.  When we moved into this home, I casually mentioned we  might try growing grapes on the pergola to provide shade from the south and southwest exposure.  I fancied myself reading books and sipping wine in a Tuscan-like setting…here in Canada.  That spring Georges surprised us by planting a grapevine beside the pergola.  This is how the vine got its name.

Over the years Georges has grown prolifically (the vine, not the man).  Seems vitis vinifera is completely content with its position in the yard and  total neglect.  Last year we had such a bountiful harvest, we could not eat them and shared our crop with neighbours.   This summer we decided after a family vote to make something with the fruit.   The majority ruled 3 votes for grape jelly to 1 vote, wine.  My husband had grandiose ideas of becoming Ottawa’s first organic vineyard – stay tuned!

The yield.

Ta-Da! The finished product.

Here is the fruit of our labour.  The result was a decent first attempt at making grape jelly.  More importantly, a lesson in patience, planning and sense of pride as we share our homemade, organic jelly with our friends and family.  This fun family activity left us with plenty of giggles and purple stained fingers.