Chapter 16 Wild Grapes
early morning.
On this day, Zhao Yi also did not go to work, but went into the mountains again.
According to Li Dequan's suggestion yesterday, Zhao Yi could rest for a few days and finish his own business before he could get back to work better.
Following the marks along the way, Zhao Yi found the place where the wild grapes grew.
After picking a full basket of wild grapes, Zhao Yi hurried back home.
When I get home.
Zhang Jing has already started making cotton clothes in the yard.
"How come you, the boss, picked so many wild grapes?"
Zhang Jing asked curiously, but did not stop.
"We can make wine from it, and I think we can sell it for 20 cents per pound."
Zhao Yi joked.
Wild wine is delicious, but few people are willing to spend money to buy it. People in the city don’t recognize these things, and they call it soda, but soda doesn’t taste like this.
Zhao Yi only planned to brew a little, and dry the rest and send it to the supply and marketing cooperative to ask if they would accept it.
After washing the wild grapes, pick them and put them into the jar one by one.
When the bottle is almost full, crush the grapes with a pestle, add cold boiled water, pour in the sugar that Zhang Jing bought, and then seal it.
Just put it in a corner of the kitchen and leave it there for a month.
Then filter the residue with gauze and leave the grape juice for another half a month and it will be done.
Many people in the village know how to make it, but saccharin is expensive now, so only a small amount is made each time. It is only given to the children at home to drink during the New Year and other festivals.
It is called wine, but it is actually similar to a beverage, with a sour and sweet taste that is especially good.
"People in the village who want to drink it will go to the mountains to pick it themselves. Who will they sell it to?"
Zhang Jing joked with a smile, then lowered her head to concentrate on the work in her hands.
"Let's give it a try. What if we can sell it?"
Zhao Yi said with a smile.
This is also a way. If it works, you can make more at this time every year. If you can't sell it, you can keep it for yourself to drink.
Zhang Jing doesn't care what Zhao Yi does, because Zhao Yi has the final say on all important matters at home.
Not long after, Zhao Yi went into the mountains again and came back with a full basket of wild grapes.
Clean up the utility room, build a few simple five-layer wooden racks, place a winnowing basket and spread out the washed wild grapes on each layer. There are several main methods for making raisins.
Air dry, sun dry, tumble dry.
Zhao Yi prepared to dry the grapes, which would shorten the time it takes for them to become raisins.
The utility room is well ventilated, and now that it is summer, the temperature in the house will be even higher with two charcoal basins.
"What are you working on?"
Su Hong walked into Zhao Yi's yard with a smile. It was almost evening.
"To make raisins, I use wild grapes picked from the mountains."
Zhao Yi did not hide it, and this was not unusual.
"I didn't expect Comrade Zhao to have this skill. When he's done, let me have a taste."
Su Hong said with a smile.
"must."
Zhao Yi nodded. This man was the financial backer of his family. He bought fish for him and also paid him to run errands. He could earn more than ten dollars a month from him. He was definitely a financial sponsor.
It is very difficult to find a job with income, but now you can earn such a high income by selling some fish to others every day. If this is not a golden thigh, then what is it?
Zhang Jing put down the work in her hands and walked towards the river. She put away the fish basket, carried all the fish inside back to the yard, picked out the largest one and handed it to Su Hong.
"How much money do I have left here for the fish?"
Su Hong looked at Zhao Yi and Zhang Jing and asked.
"It doesn't matter how many pounds the fish weighs, we'll give you at least three pounds, and we'll only charge you fifty cents a day. Today is the sixth day."
Zhao Yi said with a smile.
The fish Zhao Yi sold to Su Hong on the first day weighed nearly six kilograms, and the one today weighed at least four kilograms. This is a long-term big customer, and he has suffered a lot of losses, but he still expects the other party to keep it up like this.
"Okay, here's five dollars for another ten days."
Su Hong handed Zhang Jing five dollars, smiled, picked up the fish and hurried to the cowshed halfway up the slope.
Zhang Jing took the five dollars and looked at Zhao Yi with a smile, then walked into the house and hid the money in a small cabinet.
Zhao Yi came to the backyard and prepared to burn charcoal.
It takes at least four or five days to dry the wild grapes, and the temperature inside must be kept not too low during this period.
After completing these preparations, their lives returned to normal and they went to work with the other members every day.
After work, Zhao Yi went into the mountains to get firewood to make charcoal. He came once at noon every day to add charcoal and once in the evening.
After work, Zhang Jing continued to busy herself with making cotton clothes and shoes for the winter.
More than a week passed.
All the raisins have been dried. Zhao Yi tasted them and found them to be quite tasty, sweet and sour.
"Wife, how about you try it?"
Zhao Yi grabbed a handful and handed it to Zhang Jing.
"Yeah, it's delicious, but it takes a bit of effort."
Zhang Jing ate one and nodded continuously.
In today's environment where there is a lack of entertainment and snacks, this kind of snack with a sweet and sour taste is so addictive that you can't stop eating it once you try it.
"Su Zhiqing is here, come and try it. If you like it, take some home to cheer yourself up."
Zhao Yi grabbed a handful and handed it to Su Hong.
"Not bad, not bad. I didn't expect Comrade Zhao to have such good cooking skills."
After Su Hong took one, she kept nodding her head, and then she couldn't stop eating one after another.
Zhao Yi hurried into the house, took out a small clay pot, and then filled the pot with food and handed it to Su Hong.
The small pottery jar can hold about five or six kilograms of salt. It was a container made by my grandfather to store salt.
"How much?"
Su Hong looked at Zhao Yi and asked.
"How can these things cost money? They didn't take much effort. If Su Zhiqing wants more after he finishes eating, just come and get them."
Zhao Yi said generously.
The other person can help me earn more than ten dollars a month, so this gift is nothing at all. I can just eat it and make it myself. It doesn't cost anything except time.
Labor costs are not worth anything at all.
Hearing Zhao Yi say this, Su Hong nodded. She didn't expect that Zhao Yi and Zhang Jing were so generous. They gave her at least four pounds of fish each time. Su Hong was not a naive person, so she naturally knew the price of fish, which was 25 cents per pound.
It's obvious that he's taking good care of himself. He's even giving himself food to eat. After being together for so long, neither of them is the type to take advantage of others.
dawn.
Zhao Yi found a lot of newspapers at Li Dequan's house and carefully padded the backpack with several layers of newspapers. Then he carefully put the raisins into the backpack and covered it with a clean piece of rags.
"Be careful on your way home."
Zhang Jing sent Zhao Yi into the mountain, and then walked back reluctantly.
Zhao Yi carried these raisins to the supply and marketing cooperative in the city to ask if they would buy them. If they did, he would make some more during this season.
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