Feeling like a cannibal!

[Katharine]

I have just enjoyed a delicious plum - I thought it looked familiar yes it was a GREAT PLUM!

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

My two trees are both Victorias --- TBA believes I have "Affections" for other Women !

[J.R.]

We'll be talking about a 'Nice Pair' next !!!

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

There are a few problems with Victoria Plums -----
One tends to be personal, and somewhat inevitable, after over-indulgence !!!

Also--- TBA and I, are both Type 1 Diabetics (Self 53 years, Anne 30 years)

Over indulgence, in our plums causes higher Blood Sugars --- Fructose !
I grow Black Hamburg Grapes, in the Greenhouse --- same problem !

But isn't it grand , being Evil at times ?

[Eruresto]

I found a wild plum tree on a street the other week. Spent fifteen minutes getting fruit from it with the Ferret Stick, along with a bloke on roller skates.

[sejintenej]

I don't know about you people but it has been a lousy year for Plums here. They arrived about 4 weeks ago in large numbers and still they come! I must have 5 feet of shelf devoted to plum jam and puree (that's jars 2 high, 3 deep!), we've had plum pies and plum everything elses and still they fall off the trees. What in tarnation do I do with the rest?

We also have a bumper year for quince (love a bit anytime and anywhere) and grapes but they are a "bad" variety (taste good but thick skinned). Toms? had the last of last years crop yesterday and bottling hard! Peppers are a washout and beetroot ain't rooted. My courgettes aren't - they are competing for the largest pumpkin prize and might even win!

Last year it was apples - I was eating them daily until the end of February but plums (Great or lesser) are more difficult; to be more precise plums of all varieties are hard to store! I suppose I just have to eat all Plums in sight

[midget]

Do you have a freezer?

[Fjgrogan]

I have had a super-abundance of greengages this year, most of which have gone to waste. One moment they are not ready and the next they have rotted from the middle outwards and fallen. Those I managed to catch at the right time seemed to be infested with some kind of wasp, which then took over my kitchen, so the fruit ended up in the compost bin.

[icomefromalanddownunder]

I have had a super-abundance of greengages this year, most of which have gone to waste. One moment they are not ready and the next they have rotted from the middle outwards and fallen. Those I managed to catch at the right time seemed to be infested with some kind of wasp, which then took over my kitchen, so the fruit ended up in the compost bin.

I love greengages, but have yet to find any in Oz. Same with goosegogs <sigh>.

Sometimes its hard to live in paradise

xx

[Fjgrogan]

Gooseberries seem to have a very short season here, so as soon as they are available I buy as many as I can and freeze them - they freeze brilliantly. I am sure you know the 'joke' - it's only the hairs on a gooseberry that stop it from being a grape! (Was it Spike Jones and the City Slickers, or somebody of that ilk?

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

I hesitate to say this --- since on Thursday TBA and I will be South of Bordeaux --- BUT -- if you are not fortunate enough to live in SW FRance -- or South Australia then-----
Plums make quite a good wine, not good enough for a dinner party, but quite drinkable.
Stone them, mash 'em up, pour on half a gallon (2.25 litres) boiling water, to each 6lb (2.75 Kilos) of "Pulp" -- leave 4 to5 hours, then pour on another half gallon of COLD water, and add Pectic enzyme, (If you can get it ) leave 24 Hours. Strain -- (The wine !) bring to the boil, and pour over 3.5 lb (1.5 Kilos) sugar, leave 24 hours and add a Wine yeast (If you can get it -- otherwise a dried yeast will do) Pour into "Winchesters", or bottles with the tops off and cotton wool in the tops -- keeps out Fruit Flies -- which will turn your wine into Vinegar !!
A Gallon of fermented wine will result in 6 bottles of strained, clear wine, at about 14 %
When you are hooked on this, you can invest in Winchesters with Air Traps, Wine filtering kitand a load of other gadgets, but it is great fun, making Rocket Fuel !

Also Apples, Elderflower, Gooseberry, Dried Apricots (And eat the Apricots !) Elderberry and Sloe.
Honershly Osshifer I hvnnnt tushed a drop --- why are you standing up there ?

[Fjgrogan]

Right - greengage wine next year then! Neill, how do you square all this winemaking with the diabetes? I spend my life trying to stop my husband bringing into the house all the things which are no good for his diabetes, or my weight problem - such as chocolate, biscuits etc - but without success; he brings it in so that he 'can just have a little bit' and knowing that I will finish off the rest - no will power whatsoever; if someone is daft enough to wave chocolate cake in front of me obviously I am going to eat all of it (to save my husband from doing so - at least that is my excuse!). When he was in Finland for three weeks I lost about half a stone just by not buying cakes, biscuits, chocolate etc, by using skimmed milk instead of semi-skimmed, and avoiding bread and breakfast cereals - I got into the habit of having yoghurt and fruit for breakfast. Since he has been back I have regained the weight I lost. (Nothing to do with the huge jar of chocolate spread I bought yesterday, honest!) Since he insists also on eating jam, and not necessarily the reduced sugar variety, I am thinking of experimenting with making jam with Splenda - no idea whether that is possible, with or without the breadmaker. So far I haven't needed to test my willpower against alcohol - we don't even get communion wine thanks to swine flu! - but greegage wine sounds like as good a test as any other.

[blondie95]

I have had a courgette a day for about 3months now and do not not want see another for a long time. 3 courgette plants is way to much for 2 people, i was giving them away. Our damson tree looks a little sad this year, and i think the apples are going to be ready sooner than normal

[midget]

If I never see another tomato it will be too soon! 8 kgm roasted tom sauce, 4 jars of chutney, 1.5 l ketchup (first time for that) and about half a gallon of ordinary tomato sauce. The outdoor tomatoes have had the daylights knocked out of them by the near gale force winds, but the borlotti beans are ripening nicely for furure batches of baked beans. And today I feel like the walking dead! Methotrexate once a week and the day after I am giddy and feel sick. Still, it will be OK tomorrow.

[J.R.]

I found a wild plum tree on a street the other week. Spent fifteen minutes getting fruit from it with the Ferret Stick, along with a bloke on roller skates.

I daren't ask !!!!