Preserving, it has started

cordials are good but a tricky one because of the sugar content esp for children, dd has seen many children who have needed extractions because of cordials. Anyone remember rose hip syrup in a dinky feeder? Mums were encouraged to leave a child with a dinky feeder in its mouth as a soother. Shocking, profit came before well-being, they must have known about the decay process


Wine from fruit was always good and very successful and is a brilliant hobby, for a wine drinker. I gave all my equipment away three years ago, I don`t drink now, apart from a GnT about once a month. Its a super way to preserve fruit as is a rumtopf, I used to make rumtopf for christmas, it was powerful strong
https://www.thespruceeats.com/how-and-when-to-make-rumtopf-fruit-1446792


My parents made rum from marrow and sugar, they hung it across the landing and I remember them splitting their sides laughing when it burst
http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/farmers-marrow-rum-recipe-492/

I am going out to buy 2 bags of sugar today, the other gooseberries are turning and I like to get them off just under ripe. The bottling in 2015 was such a success that I am going to follow the exact same method this year, I do strain the juice off when I eat them anyway. 2lb sugar to 4 pints of water and I need to get this ready and let go cold, this will be prepared in advance. I checked my maslin with the trivet at the bottom and can get 5 kilners in there. I think I will have to do 3-4 sets of bottling. I have given up the idea of any other method except the slow water bath way


I am quite excited about getting this done, it will be a whole crop safely tucked away

encourage him floss, it really is a nice hobby and lots of men do it and form communities online

lol, good on him floss. Some of the most dedicated wine and bread makers are men

Today I am preparing for a bottling day tomorrow, I have made the syrup and it is cooling, will divide that into smaller containers and jugs and keep it in the fridge overnight, I unearthed the kilner jars, all were washed but I will do the full wash/heat/cool cycle tomorrow. Gooseberry picking later today, I will have to take 2 buckets up and a small container as I won`t be rough with them. The hinamakis are very spikey so I am going to have to wear gloves. Later I will sit and top and tail, wash and dry on clean tea towels overnight.

Layering gooseberries in the jars, one level at a time and syrup in between the layers and a little poke with the handle end of a long jam spoon to get rid of air. The 500 ml kilners will take about 9-10 oz gooseberries

Before I come back, I will lightly summer prune. The laterals ie new growth, down to 4-5 leaves

I am ready for off, I picked another 8.5 lbs of gooseberries and have topped and tailed, using fingers. Washed in veggie wash, aware always of bird poop hence the veggie wash, rinsed and they are spread out drying on tea towels. I would say that in the south anyway, this is a good time to be picking, several were already ripe ie too soft for me. If I didn`t have bushes I would be doing pyo, love gooseberries


Pruning was much more drastic than I expected, wanting to keep the standard shape and got rid of several long side branches. They are tough plants and will survive