“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.” ― Henry David Thoreau, Walden
For those of you following our escapades and adventures, the rancho has been attempting to oversee and manage the remodel the ranch house, whilest the management occupy outer buildings, nurture the crops, net the grapes, determine adjustments due to the drought, and begin harvesting, picking, and processing one of our earliest crops, the table grapes. We've learned how to dehydrate fruit and have actually produced some rancho raisins, and over 100 jars of one of our fan favorites, our Tequila Pepper Grape Jelly.
In the meantime, we've also been attempting to create some new recipes -- some have been winners and some have been not-so-great. For some great recipe ideas to use with our products or just some foodie inspiration, check out the Rancho's Pinterest page, and click on the Recipes folder http://www.pinterest.com/ranchoazulyoro/.
In the meantime, we are hurdling toward the wine grape harvest, although we're not certain we have enough Petite Sirah and Zinfandel left after the coyotes' escapades. What we can say is that we hope they've enjoyed feasting on over a thousand pounds of grapes, as they will not be feasting on our grapes next year. We are waging an all-out war on them. They or their forebearers have probably lived on the Rancho since before people (and they're still here, they people aren't), so it's unlikely they're going "elsewhere," however, every fence and gate and entry is being closed up. Electric fencing has been installed to guard the Cabernet, and gracious neighbors, demonstrating true pioneer spirit, have walked and watched over the property at night -- all the while, the coyotes were still watching us. Next year, as soon as the nets go on, electric netting will go up, also. We know it works because not only did one of us get zapped, so did one of the worker's dogs. It's something one doesn't do twice.
So, what's left to harvest from this dismal growing year at the rancho? Well, we're diligently standing guard over the Cabernet, and we're getting close to picking. We do plan to pick whatever is left of the Petite Sirah and Zin this weekend. We have one or two trees with olives, so it will be an olive brining year, probably in October or November, which will make many happy, since in the big olive oil years, every olive goes to the oil and none for brining.
In the meantime, we are looking forward to wrapping up the construction and moving back into the house. It has been a long, hard year at the rancho, with not much in the way of crops to show for all the hard work and hours that we've worked in the scorching heat. However, we are using this big time out to streamline processes, find olive oil bottles (still looking), buy a labeling machine -- generally do things better, so that when a better year comes in 2015, our foundation is built to put under our castles in the air. We shall leave you with one of the things the rancho does best, sunsets.
Happy trails!
The Rancho Manager
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| Tequila Pepper Grape Jelly |
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| Finally, ranch bisquits that worked! |
In the meantime, we've also been attempting to create some new recipes -- some have been winners and some have been not-so-great. For some great recipe ideas to use with our products or just some foodie inspiration, check out the Rancho's Pinterest page, and click on the Recipes folder http://www.pinterest.com/ranchoazulyoro/.
In the meantime, we are hurdling toward the wine grape harvest, although we're not certain we have enough Petite Sirah and Zinfandel left after the coyotes' escapades. What we can say is that we hope they've enjoyed feasting on over a thousand pounds of grapes, as they will not be feasting on our grapes next year. We are waging an all-out war on them. They or their forebearers have probably lived on the Rancho since before people (and they're still here, they people aren't), so it's unlikely they're going "elsewhere," however, every fence and gate and entry is being closed up. Electric fencing has been installed to guard the Cabernet, and gracious neighbors, demonstrating true pioneer spirit, have walked and watched over the property at night -- all the while, the coyotes were still watching us. Next year, as soon as the nets go on, electric netting will go up, also. We know it works because not only did one of us get zapped, so did one of the worker's dogs. It's something one doesn't do twice.
So, what's left to harvest from this dismal growing year at the rancho? Well, we're diligently standing guard over the Cabernet, and we're getting close to picking. We do plan to pick whatever is left of the Petite Sirah and Zin this weekend. We have one or two trees with olives, so it will be an olive brining year, probably in October or November, which will make many happy, since in the big olive oil years, every olive goes to the oil and none for brining.
In the meantime, we are looking forward to wrapping up the construction and moving back into the house. It has been a long, hard year at the rancho, with not much in the way of crops to show for all the hard work and hours that we've worked in the scorching heat. However, we are using this big time out to streamline processes, find olive oil bottles (still looking), buy a labeling machine -- generally do things better, so that when a better year comes in 2015, our foundation is built to put under our castles in the air. We shall leave you with one of the things the rancho does best, sunsets.
Happy trails!
The Rancho Manager
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