NANKING CHERRIES

[Wade E]

What are those NW, are those the Elderberry bushes? I have no idea

 

[NorthernWinos]

Nanking Cherries....I'll post photos in a few months if they set fruit....the fruit fills the whole branch...and...up until now we just left the fruit for birds.


A girlfriend makes Cordials with hers and got me thinking, then I found a recipe for wine....and...with any luck....this year the cherries will be made into some wine.

 

[Wade E]

Dahhhh!!! I guess thats why you posted these pictures under the Nanking Cherry topic. Sometimes I amaze myself with stupidity!

Edited by: wade

 

[jobe05]

Sometimes I amaze myself with stupidity!

And sometimes you amuse us with it!

 

[NorthernWinos]

Nanking Cherry blossomsappear not to have all pollenated....they did bloom very early during a very cold and extremely windy time, hard on the bees....so the fruits don't appear to be as thick as usual...usually they are touching each other...[must be because I really wanted them this year for wine...the years they are left for the birds they were thick on the stems]

Will get what I can.

 

[NorthernWinos]

July 1st....some of the fruit is rips and ready to pick...Picked about one quart this PM...

The fruit set as less than good...hope to get enough for at least one gallon of Nanking Cherry wine.


Have planted 7 new bushes and rescued 5 seedling from around the garden...so in future years might have a better harvest.

 

[NorthernWinos]

Been picking a few Nanking Cherries...

A meager harvest compared o other years when they were just left for the birds...might get enough for a couple or three gallons...at least will have a taste.


Anyone ever made Nanking Cherry wine????

 

[grapeman]

Those look great NW. Are they sweet or tart? How big do they run? They sure look juicy!

 

[NorthernWinos]

They are probably 1/2" around..they hang on to the plant really well when ripe...I would call them sweet when they get fully ripe....Some Web Sites call them tart....I was mowing yard today and would grab a few when going by the bushes...they are delightful!!!


Seems this year they bloomed like all years...loaded with flowers...but very early...the blossoms might have gotten frosted, which accounts for the small harvest...The late blossoms might be what fruit that is out there.


I want more plants!!!! Lots of them!!!
Italked to the County Soil & Water guy at the parade in town yesterday...he said I can get them like any tree order...think I am going to get apacket of them next year and plant them in a row somewhere. I bought 4 new plants from a bare root place this spring and found some volunteer seedlings around the yard....So getting more plants for the future.


I am sure the wine will be great....Might buy some cherries to add to my meager harvest...Or will just give them a chance and make a small batch.

 

[swillologist]

I think I would call them tart to nw. If I was going to get some cherries to put with them I would get tart cherries. The tart pie cherries I have are kinda sweet when they are ripe also. I think thepie cherriestaste about the same as the nanking cherries.

 

[NorthernWinos]

L

k, am I lucky or what???

Was driving through our little village the other day and saw something RED, went back today to have another look....It was a hedge of Nanking Cherries. Went in and asked the old fellow about them and he said to take all I want...I was back in a flash with my buckets...
They were very ripe and falling off the bushes...the Robin's were not happy with me. I took fruit off of 3 bushes...


Got 41.75# of cleaned cherries...

I am a happy camper and have a new friend...We chatted while I picked....will stop over some greens and a recipe and jar of salsa....

 

[jobe05]

Those look great NW, and you were very lucky to come across them the way you did.

How much wine will your almost 42 pounds make? What do Nanking cherries taste like? Are they like normal cherries?

I'd keep your new friend very happy, but never give him some of the wine. If he knew he can make great wine with those berries you'll never get any more

 

[grapeman]

Well no wonder you are a hampy camper with all those cherries. Hope the wine turns out as nice as those cheeries look. The little stray kitten likes your dancing flower. Two days ago a kitten showed up on the upper deck and jumped off-8 feet down when Will went out the door. He came back and is super friendly. Anybody want a nice little kitty?
Anyway I was sitting here reading NW's post and the kitten jumped up on the desk and started batting at the dancing flower. Too cute!

 

[Waldo]

I was a driving down the road the other day, over in Tennessee as a matter of fact and I saw something blue.....Wasn't no cherries though. It was the lights of a Tenn. State Trooper, He asked to see my liscense and registration, i handed them to him and as he was a looking them over he kept swatting at a fly circling his head. He handed them back to me and began writing me a ticket, still swatting at them flies. Dang flies, he muttered!! Thems Circle Flies Podner I told Him. Circle flies? Whats that he asked me. I tole him that those are flies that typically hang out around a barn and circle a horses rear end. He eyeballed me and asked me, Boy, you calling me a horses ass? OH No Sir, I told him, I would never do that, I have too much respect for law enforcement officers. He continued writing my ticket, handed it to me and I just smiled at him and said. "Its hard to fool them flies thoughPodner"

 

[NorthernWinos]

Waldo....that's a cute one....

Jobe, I have never made any Nanking Cherry wine before, so can't really say for sure. I had 13# off of my bushes and was kind of bummed out about only have enough for a gallon or two...Now...I can made lots of it...Know it will be good, because these cherries are sweet and juicey...My hands were just sticky when I was done picking.


I will save my bottles of WinExpert Red Grape Concentrate to use on this wine....


Here is the recipe from Jack Keller's web Page...I 'copied& pasted' it...hope not one minds...


<CENTER>
<H3>NANKING CHERRIES</H3></CENTER>




The Nanking cherry Prunus tomentosa, has escaped cultivation and can be found all over the United States where rainfall exceeds 12 inches a year, but especially in the South. Also called the Manchu Cherry, Chinese Bush Fruit, Bush Cherry, and Hedge Cherry, the vigorous shrub grows to 10 feet in height. It produces heavy crops of half-inch tart, red fruit with a tangy flavor similar to sour cherries. They hold well on the plant, up to three weeks after ripening if the birds allow it, and are often made into pies, jams and jellies. They are less often made into wine, but certainly can be. It doesn't take many to flavor a wine.


The fruit should be picked only when fully ripe in July or August, depending on the location. The average mature bush will easily yield enough fruit for 2-3 gallons of wine. Like many dark berries, the wine's color will suffer if exposed to bright light. For this reason, use dark glass fermentation vessel or clear glass wrapped in brown butcher paper. Store and age bottles in a dark place.
<CENTER>
<H3>Nanking Cherry Wine</H3></CENTER>
<UL>
<LI>3 lbs ripe Nanking cherries
<LI>1½ lbs granulated sugar
<LI>1 11-oz can Welch's frozen grape (Concord) concentrate
<LI>6 pts water
<LI>1 crushed Campden tablet
<LI>1 tsp pectic enzyme
<LI>½ tsp acid blend
<LI>1 tsp yeast nutrient
<LI>Burgundy wine yeast </LI>[/list]


Bring water to boil and dissolve sugar in it, stirring until completely clear. Meanwhile, wash and destem the cherries and tie them into a nylon straining bag. With hands, crush the cherries in primary fermentation vessel. Add acid blend and yeast nutrient and pour boiling sugar-water over fruit. Stir briefly to aid in dissolving additives, cover primary, and allow to cool to 70-75 degrees F. Add crushed Campden tablet, stir, recover, and set aside 12 hours. Add thawed can of grape concentrate and pectic enzyme, stir well, recover and set aside additional 12 hours. Add yeast, recover and allow to ferment seven days, squeezing bag twice daily. Squeeze well to extract juice, discard pulp, and transfer to dark secondary fermentation vessel or clear one wrapped with brown paper. Top up if necessary and fit fermentation trap. Rack after 30 days, top up and refit airlock. Repeat after 30 additional days and again two months later. Stabilize, sweeten to taste (if desired) and set aside 2-3 weeks. Bottle, store in a dark place and taste after six months to a year. Improves with additional aging. [Author's own recipe]

Edited by: Northern Winos

 

[Bert]

What a great find Northern and they really look great.....there will be some nice cherry wines this winter....Looks great..

 

[Waldo]

I agree Bert......Oh that I could be that lucky...Keep us pictures coming as it progresses NW

 

[Wade E]

What a great find NW, that should be enough for about what, 18 gallons with what you have from your yard?

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

Awesome color to those, must of been right at there peak.

 

[NorthernWinos]

Yes, JW...They were very ripe...I never have enough patience to wait for my own till they are that ripe...Just perfect... sticky fingers are good.


As for showing progress....they are in the freezer...think they will be there for awhile....next project is a Raspberry/Merlot....well...maybe will do the Nanking Cherry/Red Grape first...so many wines...so few carboys...so little time!!!


The Chokecherries are beginning to ripen too...so will be picking them and the Raspberries are still producing a few....The garden is starting to over produce too. This is the best time of the year....Picking fruit really gives me a spiritual boost.


I am hoping to get about 12 gallons of Nanking wine and maybe blend another batch 50/50 with Chokecherries. I think I'll use 20# per 6 gallon batch.....There are still some berries on the old guys plants...I brought him some veggies today and he was as happy as I was yesterday...didn't want to ask for more...should have tho as they are so ripe they were falling off the bushes....

Life is good!!!