General Chat

Runner beans. Our mate picked the big ones today, there are plenty more up and coming.

Have had to cook things from the freezer to make room. Boxes of runners freezing.Still a carrier full left out,the carers took armfuls each, I gave some to a neighbour I have only spoken to twice.

There are hundreds more up there waiting for me.

Maybe we will be taking some to the homeless shelter because runner beans are really not very versatile are they?

Sister in Hampshire has loads too.
She has had a holiday from work and they decided on days out this year.
Just as well as she's had to spend time freezing beans from their allotment most evenings.

How about making chutney?
eg. http://www.allotment.org.uk/recipe/1440/runner-bean-chutney-recipe/

Other ideas online.

Gwyn

Oh good.

The old man will be picking blackberries very soon now. They are coming in with bullaces, sloes and watching the damsons too. They usually pick up windfall apples to make chutney but runner bean could be something different.

Sounds great there.
I haven't seen any damsons, but plenty of bullace fruit fallen locally.
Nobody seems to use them, but they are quite sweet and nice to eat raw.

Loads of hawthorn ripening. I bet there are recipes to use that too, if I look.
Hope you've saved lots of jars for all these offerings.

Gwyn

Aren't they a bit early with sloes Sharron? I was always led to believe not until the first frost.

Bullaces make amazing jam.

I think they are early with the sloes, in fact I gave them to somebody.

They found the damson tree last year and are watching it carefully each time they sally forth on the horse dung run. It is just one of the ways we keep the old man stimulated. House full of jam and freezer full of beans. refusing to eat both is his way of having a bit of power.

They pick up the potatoes that falloff the trailer along the roads too,

Lol Sharron ,snap ,but we up north looked at the weather projections early in the year ,and cut down on the number of Runners we put in ,putting in broad and dwarf french climbing beans instead ,resulting in beans that come in at different times,resulting in a varied crop.
Our crops all round are coming in a lot later what with ll the water ,and lack of sun ,but our apples and plums are now starting to ripen,as are the tomatoes Cougettes and cucumber.
We notice all our local trees are turning colour weeks ahead of the normal times ,and i suspect this is why the fruit bushes and trees are fruiting early ,they know that winter is coming early.
P/S anyone wan't some spare beans he he ,[Fred ducks the old shoes coming his way] :-P :-)

Our damsons aren't usually ready until September, but I suppose they could be earlier this year. Anyone want any - about 15 years ago I picked 3/4 ton but we lost trees over the years.

Our best crop at the moment is peaches planted against the west facing wall of the barn and dripping over its roof. Yesterday we battled the wasps and picking over 400.

We could desperatley do with some rain!! It seems to go everywhere but here.

K
If I lived nearby, I'd willingly buy some damsons. We don't see many locally, although I do keep a look out for roadside stalls in the country set up where householder has a glut.

Gwyn

I have a friend whose gate opens on to the common and there is a damson tree right by her gate so it is not actually hers but nobody knows that.

If there is a glut on that tree I will have it and the old man and his mate have discovered another in the hedge on their forays.They are about.

There was a medlar tree in the churchyard but that was cut down to facilitate disabled access. He wouldn't go in there and get them for me anyway. I think he thought God might be watching!

Gwen

You are very welcome to them free, as is anyone else, but the distance to Herefordshire probably does't make it worth it. The fruit used to go markets in Manchester and Liverpool, but the local transport companies that took them no longer operate.

Our elderly neighbours used to have an amazing cherry orchard, but when they died the next families haven't picked the trees and many have been grubbed out. So sad. There were a number of varieties including black Waterloo's and one called White Heart and they were superb.

Kay

Do you mean that Gwen?

I will tell you why. I am able, through a great deal of negotiating, to have a long day out on Tuesday. We were wondering where to go. Herefordshire is not beyond the bounds of possibility.

I am happy to buy you a pub lunch for a load of fruit. How does that grab you?

I know there are WI members locally who could use some.

You are both very welcome but the damsons aren't ripe yet. They are still like bullets on the trees although they have gone purple. I would think that the end of the month at the earliest.

They last for ages on the trees. I am always amazed that the trees flower before they have leaves and some of the fruit is there after the leaves have dropped.