Lucky that I laid in supplies of jam sugar when we were north last week. Moray is a great jam-making area, with raspberries and strawberries grown commercially in the Laich of Moray (the coastal plain), and many gardens with their own supplies. Jam-making is THE summer occupation, to the extent that jam sugar vanishes from the shops at peak periods. I bought up sugar to make jam from my Dad's raspberries, but then decided that it would be so long before they were ripe that I would export it back to Edinburgh.Today was our first visit to the allotment for 2 weeks, what with having been away preparing for my Dad's return from hospital, and then being busy with other things on our return. It rained all day yesterday, and is forecast to rain from tomorrow for the rest of the week. We discovered blackcurrant bushes bowed down to the ground with the weight of ripe fruit, and luscious red berries in profusion in the strawberry bed.
If it does rain tomorrow, I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing than stirring a bubbling pot of blackcurrant jam in a warm kitchen.
Poor neglected allotment blog. Life has just got the better of me. I've taken photos every time we've visited the plot, but haven't had time to post them. But at least the plot is looking presentable, if hardly overflowing with produce. One of the reasons I started this blog was the offence I took at an article in Garden Organic's magazine asserting that it wasn't possible to maintain an allotment on a part-time basis. The author didn't represent the stance of the Garden Organic organisation, I have to say, but I was certainly offended by his views. So here we are, part-time allotmenteers with next year's jam supply coming along nicely.
Can I point out our traditional allotment recycling? The white baskets holding the strawberries once held flower arrangements (my Dad is a great sender of flowers for my birthday), and the clear plastic container was a salad drawer from our old fridge.
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9 comments:
You have some great looking containers of fruit. It will be great to have all that jam to enjoy all winter. We are still picking raspberries.
Your own fruit! It's lovely. I can't wait to see the jars of jam. Yes, I'm living vicariously, but it's so hot here the thought of turning on the stove makes me feel queasy. I'm glad you can look forward to a nice, warm kitchen.
Those berries look yummy! I have trouble keeping up with my own gardens. I think a lot of people do.
Have fun making your jam!
Delicious looking. I'm not sure the strawberries would make it to your kitchen for jamming. (The re-use of the baskets is great - very charming filled with fruit). I haven't done any jams but two of my friends who have fruit trees have. They come out really good - esp. the Santa Rosa plum, cannot get that tart/sweet flavor at any store.
Hi Linda, good to see you back and I am delighted to see your Dad is coming home from hospital.The fruit was a bountifull harvest one of the reasons we go to the plot on cold uninviting days!
Wow, what a great garden place you have. My husband is the one who tends our garden, and he picks berries, and makes jam. He is the farmer's wife, not me.
Do hope you'll try quinoa this summer. :)
my mum used to pay me 3p a pound to pick blackcurrants. Since she disaproved of paying childfren to do chores - this must have been a concession of desperation! Aberdennshire circa 1976
The strawberries in the recycled baskets are as pretty as a picture....wait....they are a picture. And look at all those currants, delicious looking. My mother always made jam for the family. She hasn't done it in years and I'm sorry to say that her daughter (me)has not taken over the task.
Hope your dad is doing well. Mine is having surgery on Monday.
donna
Linda, beautiful bounty of fruits! Our strawberries are few as the birds get there before we do, but they have been gracious to leave our Marionberries alone (similar to blackberries, but larger and with less seeds). We hope you are taking time to enjoy this weekend.
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