The Good Life

Elderberries! 1.5kg gathered and currently freezing. To be turned into wine once I have wine making equipment. I missed making anything of the Elderflowers as I was away and missed them, so the berries aren’t going to escape. Probably should have harvested these a little sooner as many are shrivelling now.

Chutney! Made from damson plums that were too overripe to make jam with (books say damsons ripen in Sept/Oct, mine are rotting on the ground mid-August). So Chutney with onion and a carrot. Wrong type of sugar used (caster instead of brown), and I “followed” a recipe that intentionally had no quantities, so who knows what’s going to happen! It’s bubbling away downstairs as I type. Must harvest sooner for jam etc. as the pectin needed for jam is highest in underripe fruit.

Potatoes! Nothing huge, but they were starting to rot (grown in a an old Hessian shopping bag of mum’s) so had to stop now. They were grown from new potatoes that had sprouted in AW’s fridge so perhaps only right they be new potatoes themselves. Notice the “One Bite Wonders” that are the diameter of a 5p piece.

Chillies! All still green – as I like them hot I’m leaving them on til they turn red. I got a load of smaller chillies from cousin D yesterday which will be made into lazy chillies I think (chillies chopped in oil, ready for cooking with).

Standard tomatoes! Finally on the turn, there’s loads of these of various sizes so lots of tomato chutney to come no doubt!

Plum tomatoes! These have been producing a steady supply for a couple of weeks now – only four plants so not masses of them, but enough to enjoy them.

Cherry tomatoes! These have been on the go for some weeks now – we have a bowlful in the fridge. Happy little things – like translucent orange gems currently!

Cat producing bush! Almost ripe.