Winemaking extra notes.....

As a postscript to my last post, let me say I wanted to save winemaking for the summer. It seemed like a pretty rough bite out of my 100 dollars, but the fact that it takes so long for the payoff, (I have seen makers that age for 3 months) plus the fact that Im trying to get some practice in for other more involved versions of this process led me to try it now. In the summer I have a pear tree in the yard, plus the rail fence on the hill that borders my property is covered with wild grapes every year. I'd also have access to Mulberries, apples (I know of several trees who owners just let them rot on the ground), and anything else I could forage such as wild raspberries. My plan is also to plant sorghum in the spring , and use that to make cane syrup which I may be able to use as a sugar substitute, thus eliminating another expensive ingredient. Alot of the things I research for this blog are like that. Initially it almost feels like its cheaper to just go buy a bottle of wine.....Its obviously less work, but as my methods mature, and I learn the process that should change. Even the yeast can be farmed from nothing if you know how to do it. Remember that zombie apocalypse too. Maybe there wont always be a 7-11 to run out and grab a bottle of Wild Irish Rose from, just sayin. Even in my next project. Soapmaking I was shocked that one of the main ingredients, the fat (lard in this case) was so expensive. Its animal fat for crying out loud.....most people throw it away. Im already scheming though to make that cost a little better as there is a butcher shop one town over that processes whole animals on site, and while Im sure while they are not giving it away I bet as an unprocessed by the pound product I can get it alot cheaper. It will add a step or two to the soapmaking, but hey, thats the breaks. No one said this was easy...So from my 100 bucks what did I spend so far?  1.50x2 for the yeast, 2.00x2 for the airlocks, 1.00x2 for the water, and 2.00 for a bag of sugar.(yes, Im rounding up , and down) The fruit Im not factoring in to cost, as I didnt buy it for the experiment Im considering it a found item. So, 11.00.....yeah, thats alot for two gallons of whats sure to be craptastic wine. Give it a chance though this is going to get better.....