Grape harvest small scale - creating homegrown wines part 2

So, in my infinite wisdom, I was able to conveniently find myself rather busy on the day of harvest a week or so ago at the Crawford 'estate' for the annual Cabernet Sauvignon grape harvest.  But as I had participated in the harvest the year before, my curiosity got the better of me and I couldn't wait to see the next step...hopefully it was less labor intensive.

While the idea of grape pressing always calls to mind the image of Lucille Ball, dress hitched up, stomping in a large barrel full of grapes, I was relieved to find this was a rather antiquated way of pressing grapes, and thankfully not one I would be participating in today.

Once at the Crawford home I was excited to find both David and Lorraine already full swing into the crushing of the grapes. But I found, even this is a science. The tops were removed from large bins holding grapes that had been sterilized and with wine yeast added. The mush (which I am sure has a technical name that I am not aware of) had a heady scent, musky yet rich. Definitely smelling of early wine stages. Not that I ever knew what that meant before, but now I did.

Large scoops were ladled into the grape press and the juices began to flow.

Photos: Me ladling de-stemmed, crushed grapes into grape press and David showing how much juice still remains in the mush prior to pressing.

Copper People - Shirley Wunder is most certainly a wonder! by, Shari Schweigler

                                               

                For the last three years Copperopolis residents who use the Food Pantry have also had free clothing made available to them.  This is thanks to Shirley Wunder and her friend  Jan Riley, both members of Copper Canyon Baptist Church, where the “Copper Closet”  began.  When Lake Tulloch Bible Church opened The Bridge on Copper Cove Drive and invited the Food Pantry there for distributions on Third Thursdays, these ladies saw the usefulness of locating the Copper Closet there as well, even though it meant setting up outdoors.  For more information, visit the website, www.copperpantry.org .  There is a link for the Copper Closet labeled “other ministries.”

                In February, sixty-two families came to the Pantry, so perhaps many of them found free clothing at the Closet.  Donations of clean and lightly-used clothing are appreciated, with children’s clothes being the most needed. Shirley and her volunteers sort and store the clothes in plastic totes and then have them displayed on tables at Third Thursday.  Monetary donations are accepted for buying more tables and storage totes.  Having a building to house the Copper Closet is a far-off dream.  In the meantime, Providence has protected it from bad weather every third Thursday for the last three years!

Shirley Wunder pictured with Lake Tulloch Lions President Ken Gutman

Shirley Wunder recognized for her charitable efforts

At the 9-11-13 Lions Club meeting local resident and community servant Shirley Wunder was recognized and honored for her unending support and help for those displaced by the RIM fire. Shirley volunteered countless hours at the Sonora Evacuation shelter serving meals and helping in anyway that was needed.

Pictured: Shirley Wunder and Lions Pres Ken Gutman

Shirley has also organized and heads up the Copper Closet, a free clothing distribution to those in need in Copper. The Copper Closet is open at  all Copper Food Pantry distribution days and the clothing is clean and free.

Thank you Shirley for your care and love of your community and the people in it.

Tim Reed- a big heart for the kids

Tim Reed and his wife Lin moved to Copperopolis over 20 years ago in an effort make Lin's commute to her job in Sonora and her job in Modesto an easier route. When Tim saw the road Reeds Turnpike he thought to himself, 'at least they have good street names here.' Finally settled in Copper the couple never dreamed that this would become so much more than just a place to live.

Raised in Sudbury Massachusetts to a family of volunteers and avid sailors, Tim learned at a young age what community service was all about. When he was old enough he volunteered at the local parks and rec department as a camp counselor. Even when he went away to college, he would come home for summers and continue volunteering as a counselor. In college he obtained his teaching credentials and the mold for his future was set.

Troy Welch - coaching/mentoring/making memories for our Copper kids

Troy Welch, his wife Jessica and their children moved to Copperopolis in December 2006. By Spring 2007 Jessica had signed up to coach t-ball, not terribly confident in her t-ball skills Troy came along to the first practice for support. At the close of practice Troy gently informed his wife he would be taking over as coach. The mold was set and coaching Copper kids became a way of life.

Jacob Phillips - changing the political world one student at a time

Jacob Phillips is an 18 year old senior with plans that include chemical engineering, aerospace engineering, entomology, music, art and politics...not necessarily in that order.

For Jacob's senior project he chose to "introduce to Bret Harte a club called JSA, which stands for Junior States of America. I chose this because I noticed a slipping political awareness in my peers and I thought a club would be a fun way to tackle that problem." The club has an attendance of between 10 to 20 people per meeting and was approved and acknowledged as an official Bret Harte High School club in September 2012.

Jacob felt that the most difficult part of the project was the planning, as he admits to being "challenged when it comes to scheduling out events and due dates." Yet once it got off the ground, the easiest part of the project was running the meetings, "Once I am in there and they all settle down, I begin to open their eyes to what the nation and our world is going through. I feel worth in what I do when someone asks a good question because I know that they have taken what I said and become interested."

 Jake with his sister and biggest supporter Athena.