It is well and truly harvest time. So, my vegetable share from the local farm has become quite big as well as varied. Nevertheless, it would be such a shame to leave windfalls laying on the ground, even if they are consumed by the resident ducks.
With an always-hungry teenager about the house and the increased potential for self-isolation now schools are going back hovering over us, it makes sense to get as much fresh stuff in while we can. Most of it will get consumed as is but I will also do some preserving, so we shouldn’t suffer from scurvy!
Returning to the ducks, I was quite charmed to come upon them in the orchard as I was picking up the windfalls. They were so blasé about my presence.
Growing out of chaos 
The ducks look so sweet! September is the month for preserving things. I got some cooking apples today but they are for this weekend , not the freezer.
Nice one, Cathy!
Haven’t yet had time to bring in the apples. Not sure how I can preserve them easily.
A dehydrator would be ideal. All you would need to do then is wash and slice… How many have you got?
Trees full, several.
Juicing? There are increasing numbers of places in Yorkshire which have juicing days, where you can use the equipment for a donation (money, juice). In Leeds, there is also Leeds Urban Harvest which collects unused fruit and loans out its equipment. However, of course, I don’t know what would be available to you where you are.
Excellent ideas. Someone has given me a professional juicer. I’m pondering getting the kids (adults) to make cider, but also apple pulp stuff I saw a lot of in Holland. Not sure what they called it, but it was in jars and you added it to recipes. If you were a neighbour I’d rope you in (going to check out who and where you are again). {{{chuckle}}}
I think we’re a bit too far away…. The apple pulp can be used for so many things, not least apple purée. Maybe that’s what you say in Holland? The French are big in that – or certainly where when I lived there.
Anyway, cider sounds a good plan and the more hands you have the better!
I’m also going to take some eater apples to the Fareshare, as I had forgotten the best African proverb “The best place to store food is in your neighbours stomach”.
That is a great proverb! And a great action.
Wow, just looked up at what the Yorkshire Fareshare is up to. Here in West Wales it’s small in comparison. Oh and WRAP has joined in with Fareshare in your area too, see this: https://wrap.org.uk/content/covid-19-emergency-surplus-food-grant-award-recipients
Thanks for the link. I don’t know much about Fareshare – there are other organisations but I don’t know if they are connected/work with it. There is quite a lot happening in Yorkshire but then there are other great things in Wales – or maybe it’s a case of the grass is always greener…
I often have to refer my popping up negative thoughts to the saying “Blossom where you’re planted”.
Now, that’s a new saying for me! How does it help against negative thoughts?
Well when I busy myself in where I am, the grass (not that I have any left now), yes the “grass” is tended to become greener, thus making the desire to be elsewhere become shaded into the background. To focus on where we are makes more sense than to mind the business of others and what the good bits of what they have or say they have.
I see 😊
Cute ducks
They are, aren’t they 😊
I have just been given a big bag of apples. As well as using them with blackberries, sloes and elderberries in jams and making chutney I will stew some and pot it at once into hot sterilised jars then put sterile lids on quickly. I have some jars I did at least 2 or 3 years ago and it is still good. Perfect as apple sauce with pork or on top of porridge or as apple crumble, sometimes mixed with blackberries or elderberries preserved in the same way. Occasionally a jar gets a bit of mould on the top but I just scoop it off and reheat the rest thoroughly before eating it.
That sounds great 😊
I agree to an extent, but not so sure of the sloes though G.Batty, as I find them a bit too floury/fluffy to the taste/texture in anything I’ve tried to cook.