A budget of local, home grown and wild produce...
At this time of year our fruits are starting to ripen and it has been a very good season for the dwarf cherry tree with over 10 Kilos of fruit picked over the last two weeks.
Protecting the fruit from the birds is usually done by netting the tree, but it is just a little too big now to achieve this without causing a hernia, so this year we tried CD’s tied in the branches, this technique worked very well. [Read more…] about The Cherry Harvest
When travelling country roads one often comes across signs attached to gateposts or propped against trees proclaiming “fresh fruit and veg” as well as many other delights such as free range eggs and honey.
One such occasion was yesterday, for once a dry and mild Saturday, enabling us to take our dogs Buster and Charlie for a good long run to stretch their rain weary legs.
A day out by the sea was required and on the way we chose to take the back roads which wind past many small farms and villages.
At this time of year the soft fruit is ripening and sure enough, on a fence was a sign saying “blackcurrants and raspberries”. Turning off the road onto a narrow farm lane overhung by what promised to be quite a crop of apples later in the year, we came to a small courtyard with a table bearing boxes brimming with ripe, juicy fruits.
At only £1.20 for 500g of currants and £0.75p for a box of raspberries, we helped ourselves to the pickings and left the money in the honesty box on the table. I think I got quite a bargain, as most of the large supermarkets charge around £1.00 to £1.79 for 250g of currants.
The next stop yielded some free range eggs, tomatoes, beetroot and some lovely home made lemon curd.
In fact all of the produce you see on the table below was purchased for just slightly under £10.00.
Some of the raspberries, we could not resist eating on the way home, but once home we promptly washed and froze the fruit for later use.
Picking wild berries and plants for food obviously dates back to the earliest days of man, but we have to remember that now most land is owned by somebody and we must respect this when foraging.
Various pieces of legislation exist and it pays to familiarise yourself with the basics. [Read more…] about The Right to Roam
Due to market demand for uniformity in shape , size and taste, many of these heritage varieties go unnoticed by the consumer. Over the years, this has led to a huge decline in the apple orchards of England. A survey carried out by the Apple Project (1998) revealed that more than half the orchards in the Crosby Ravensworth and Dacre parishes of Cumbria have been lost since the start of the century.
Heritage apples generally have unique and interesting tastes and textures, widley used in making preserves, juices and of course cider.
Many old varieties still exist and you may even have one growing in your garden. If you want to find out more about your old apple tree, have it identified, get advice on grafting and pruning as well as learning about what you can do with your harvest, then come along to an Apple Day near you.
Every year, apples go unpicked in the UK, representing a huge waste of locally grown produce. ORCHARD LINK can put owners in touch with local producers and you can even hire the apple press to make your own juice or cider.
Based on Roger Phillips seminal work ‘Mushrooms and other fungi of Great Britain and Europe’ and the similar book published on the mushrooms and Fungi of North America.
Roger’s twenty-year study will make his site the most complete collection of photographs and mushroom information from both sides of the Atlantic ever assembled.
With over 3000 images to help you identify and learn more about the mushrooms of Europe and North America!
User friendly searchable index by name, or image.
