For the past four or so years, wild river grapes have grown in our backyard. However, the wasps usually shred them in their infancy and none mature. I've read that this can happen when there are not enough sources of nectar. This spring, my husband dug a second vegetable garden with the help of my dad, and we've planted more vegetables than ever before. The garden has been constantly flowering and fruitful, so perhaps this has helped with the fact that a very tiny number of grapes matured for the first time ever.
I picked them and made a jam. It was literally enough for one slice of toast, but I think it was worth it to sample them. The seeds are very large, so most people opt for jelly, but I've always been more of a jam fan in general, so thought I'd give it a go with a Concord grape recipe I tried on this blog maybe five years ago.
(Note that wild grapes have one poisonous lookalike: Moonseed. The leaves are entirely different, but if still unsure, the fruit of Moonseed has one crescent-shaped seed. Wild river grapes have many and they are kind of round.)
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