Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

nursemaggie

I have still not looked up Abakhan yet but suddenly thought I think it is on my doorstep. I have to pass it every time I go to the chemist. There is a big mill next door to to the post office. It houses all sorts of factory outlets and one of them is fabric. It does not have a name so it could be Abakhan. I shall go and have a look.

silvasava

Vhalla - if your plums are small lightish red ones they're probably Mirabelles - they're lovely and make super jam. Just a tip though to save time. You can simmer the plums without destoning. Add the sugar as usual and as you stir you will find the stones rise to the surface so you can hoik ( technical term) them out with a slotted spoon. Much easier!
The variety is very old - I reckon mine was planted when our house was built in the 30's but it could be older. We do prune it from time to time but it always crops very well.

GreyQueen

silvasava, do mirabelles come in a plain yellow version as well as the reddish one? I see them growing as well, just thought of them to myself as 'wild plums' but might they be a cultivar and garden escapee? They taste the same and are very nice.

I saw some the weekend before last, a few miles away. Weren't quite ripe then, but its a bit of a haul out there on the pushbike and someone else might have beaten me too it, of course.

vhalla1478

Many thanks for the tip, Silva. Alas, it came too late for me to make any use of it this time, but I certainly will next time. I reckon that the tree is pretty old as it is enormous and is so full of plums! Such a pity that so many went to waste. we've also discovered a cherry tree and DDil has promised to make cherry pie!

Viv xx

alice-mary

GreyQueen wrote: »

silvasava, do mirabelles come in a plain yellow version as well as the reddish one? I see them growing as well, just thought of them to myself as 'wild plums' but might they be a cultivar and garden escapee? They taste the same and are very nice.

I saw some the weekend before last, a few miles away. Weren't quite ripe then, but its a bit of a haul out there on the pushbike and someone else might have beaten me too it, of course.

Yep, they come in yellow too and both colours are delicious!

Alice
xx

iamsalt

I can verify the yumminess of the yellow ones which I have been making jam from. I am also experimenting with making a wine from them which a friend had made last year and gave me to taste, I could become fond of that wine!

nursemaggie

Well Abakhan is not on my doorstep but I can get fairly close to it on my bus so I have two fabric warehouses to look at. It's time I found out a bit more about all the factory outlets near me.

Wonder if I can find some wild fruit? Went a long walk in the countryside nearby last week, lots of walks there. If blackberries anything to go by they are mostly still in flower doubt there will be many this year.

Floss

NurseMaggie we have lots of blackberries on my allotment site in Blackpool, all rapidly ripening so you may well find some ready near you. The recent bits of sun & lots of rain have done them the world of good!

nursemaggie

Only 7 days ago no real berries at all. I don't think they can grow from flowers to berries that quick even if it has rained every day since.

silvasava

Nursemaggie - its worth keeping an eye out as its surprising how even a light shower can bring things on apace! I have warehouse envy - none round here to speak of. When I visit my Godmother in Birmingham if I have time I try to have a look round the International store as we have nothing like it here.