September in NH

September brings us to the first signs of fall, chilly mornings with spotty frost here and there, the foliage has started showing its brilliant color's and my all time favorite the Concord Grape with its robust smell,  blue in color, tells me they are ready to be picked to make in to jelly/jam. This year my daughter and I were blessed to have my sister-in-law and her precious daughters help. There is nothing more fun then making things with others.

the grape vine heavy with Concord  Grapes  

Jo-Lynn filling her basket  

it takes about  4 pounds of grapes to make a batch of jam

Eliza and my daughter pressing the grapes though the berry strainer

even little Sylvia is able to help

this allows only minimal pulp and grape juice to be strained though, leaving behind the seeds and skin , to be discarded if making jelly, to make jam add skins

 we followed the Sure-Jell  cooked recipe on the boxes

after making jam/jelly fill hot  jars 3/4 full screw on covers tight and stand up side down over night to seal  

we like to cut circle out of scrap material,  tying  them on the lids for that simply country look

with some of our home made bread that we have  toasted and our Concord Grape jelly we  just made, makes a delicious breakfast.