Preparing for Winter V

[Deleted User]

apples: I have 7 varieties, all on M26 rootstcks, that means that they will grow to no more than about 12 feet tall. I did a major thinning in june because I wanted bigger and more spaced apples, so the trees didn`t get stressed and to reduce insect attacks. I took off hundreds of tiny apples, starting with any with blemishes. I repeated the exercise in july and all the remaining apples grew big. Some got codling moth and they fall early because codling ripens the apples but they are good for puree and enable an early start

The apple trees tend to be ready in one of three seasons, early, middle, late. The early season apples, normally picked in august, only keep for 2-3 weeks. The latest ones can keep until january. Bramleys tend to be mid season. I hand pick any perfect bramleys carefully and keep them in cool dark airy conditions, generally all through autumn. I have special wooden slatted drawers

Two of my trees are early picking cookers and a cooker/eater. I have finished picking and processing them, the purpose cooker made beautiful sweet puree, now frozen. The cooker/eater mixed with some blemished (codling) bramleys, made the perfect filling for pies and crumbles ie some puree with many soft slices. I have now frozen enough for the whole year for me and guests and my small spare overflow freezer is full to bursting with currants and berries, apples and a cooked base for many many dishes made with green beans and courgettes, herbs, shallots and garlic

I will hand pick the bramleys very soon, they are ready a good two weeks early. Very large and early this year. My russets will not keep too long, the insides go a bit mealy but they don`t get insect damage. Mostly they will be given away as will my red windsors. I have a fantastic cooker, welsh breed, very large with a tough shiny skin. It gets no damage and keeps until january/february as does christmas pippin, which tastes exactly like a cox. I never bought even one apple the whole of last year

[Deleted User]

When I walked Cookie this morning down to the river I found that some of the Sweet Chestnut trees were beginning to drop the prickly green cases too, it's much too early for that but we're getting great fat acorns dropping too and beech nuts and the hedgerow damsons are all over the pavements and rotting so I really DO think it's the start of autumn. If it were just one species of plant that was cropping early you'd think that was an anomaly BUT several types all doing it at the same time? got to be early onset autumn.

FUDDLE you can make rosehip syrup to use to keep your vitamin C levels topped up in the winter, 2lbs of rosehips to 4 pints of water, bring it all to boiling point then take off the hob and stand it for 30 minutes covered, strain through a jelly bag/some muslin, keep the liquid. Put the fruit pulp back in the pan with another 4 pints of water and repeat the process. Combine the liquids in a clean pan and boil until it has reduced by half its volume then remove it from the heat and stir in 2lbs of sugar (granulated is fine) until it's dissolved, bring it back to the boil and boil hard for 5 minutes then pour into warmed sterilized bottles in the same way as you do for the elderflower syrup. You can freeze it in poly bottles but leave an expansion gap and don't fill them to the top. Keep the bottle in use in the fridge and use it within 6 weeks or it might ferment. Same thing with defrosted bottles from the freezer. Nice as a hot drink with some lemon and nice poured over breakfast porridge and over ice cream.

You can make blackberry syrup too, same method as you use for elderberry. that really is nice as a hot drink (and over ice cream!).

fuddle

That's fab Lyn. I think the front garden will be a good source of rosehips in the coming years

The rabbit hutch is water tight and prepped for the winter. The heat pad is out as it's getting chilly of a night here.

[Deleted User]

I went into the city on the bus this morning to see if I could see a winter weight coat at a reasonable price that I liked, nothing there! a few overprices designer raincoats in John Lewis but no coats at all other than that and lots of signs across the shop saying 'NEW SEASON' but only party dresses. Have the coats come and gone??? or is the assumption that we all drive everywhere in cars and only do door to door so there is no need for warm clothing? CRAZY!

luvchocolate

Its Autumn colthing in at the moment....Winter will come in towards end September.

Pooky

We use the rose hips for wine but my nan used to make syrup. It makes a lovely smokey flavour wine which is my favourite of the home made wines....DH doesn't like it though.....shame eh?

We picked another 1.5kilos of elderberries yesterday and another kilo of blackberries so will be making a demijohn of blackberry wine, one of elderberry, one of rosehip and then one mixed berry and apple (I'll use the cooked apple liquid to make apple chilli jam and then the pulp gets added to the berries for wine making)

[Deleted User]

It sounds like a fantastic party in the making with all this wine and cider making going on, it's going to be a 'fun' winter.....don't forget to stock up on hangover cures though! xxx.

happyin_devon

Put a layer of foil over top of slow cooker then put lid on,my old one had a rubbish lid,and this did the trick until it finally died. X this is for Pooky as I forgot to add your quote!

LadyhavershamLost

Felt like quite Autumnal last night - (apart from the temperature) and its really quite gloomy here in Berkshire this morning!
I work in a school and have just realised that this is my last full week before I go back to work on 1st September .....
Have also realised I have no suitable shoes for work as I have been wearing flip flips or sandals July, so am going school shoe shopping for myself later!

I also need to do a stock take of winter boots/shoes for my tiniest 2 children - the biggies can tell me if their footwear doesn't fit - although boy child is 15 and only possesses trainers - -lots of them mind

shoei

We noticed the trees were changing at the weekend.


I wondered if anyone could advise. I'm looking for door mats that can cope with Great Dane paws that have come straight off the farm. She never goes in mud but wet dirty paws show up on our tilled floors.