As those of you who regularly read my diary will know, I am a bit of a free food freak. So yesterday I set off with my cold snuffling into the fields to pick blackberries. When the boys are here they often accompany me but picking fruit is not a Chas thing and anyway he was out with the males doing mobiles. There is nothing more relaxing than an amble up and down the hedgerows when the weather is fantastic. I do mutter to myself but hopefully no one notices or they will think I am crazed. The alpacas stand around watching with mild curiosity as I fight my way through the nettles and then get entangled in blackberry prickles – I have the scars. I picked loads and then made jam with the CD player on very loud. I did contemplate putting marrows in as well as the courgette plants have run away and there were some really big ones hiding underneath the leaves. Apart from them and the peas my vegetable garden has been a disaster this year – must try harder.
The sloes are coming on well and the elderberries are pretty ripe too so it is elderberry jelly next and possibly haw jelly. I made some a couple of years ago and it was very nice with a fabulous colour.
The alpacas are looking their best, dry and clean and mostly lounging around sun bathing. Make the most of it girls before we get another deluge.
janet –
We like you like to make use of free food – but what does make life easier – and so makes memake more jam, jelly etc is a tefal jam maker £69.95 from Lakeland -bought it last year and havent wasted a thing – not even time by having to stir the jam – does it all for you. To=-day made pear jelly – to-morrow pear mint jelly. JUst apity I cant teach the alpacas to pick the fruit.