We’ve made it to picking day!  The electric fence modifications worked and kept the raccoons out.

Wild muscadines have high acid. The Nobel is a domesticated variant with less acid, but really depends on soil conditions, and when you pick. I held off picking until conditions were right. 1) some of the grapes started looking like raisins and the berries skin starting to look dull and soft. 2) the seeds have darkened. 3) taste is very sweet. 4) sugar level is 15 or greater brix.  I brought my two grape testers with me. #1Dakota my 8yr old son and #2 refractometer. Here’s Koda doing his taste test.

Noble muscadine has a nice cluster not individual berries like other types of muscadine vines. These look really good this year.

I taught Koda how to use the refractometer to test the sugar level. He checked several berries on various clusters. The brix was 15-17.  We were only able to pick 65lbs this year.  Not bad on these third year vines and after all the fruit the raccoons took.  Next year should be a much better year.