ilultham

When we lived around Evesham someone once told me that yellow egg plums grow true from seed. That's one of the reasons there are so many around that area, they'd often grow them around the outside of the market gardens as an extra cash crop.  Well even though I know the science of why it shouldn't be true I took a punt and dug up a seedling from mum and dads farm. I planted it about 8 years ago.  Seedlings often take longer to crop than a grafted tree so I was patient and waited.  This year it has proved what I already thought to be true. They don't grow true from seed (although I guess sometimes they might get fairly near). Instead what we've grown is our own variety of gage. The small plums are quite hard when picked off the tree, but soon soften when stored for a day or so. Quite a few maggot about, but that's to be expected when growing them with no measures other than a bit of pruning (and that's more to keep the suckers cut down).  We've no other p...

As our children have got older we've had to start putting more food away to last us longer.  Luckily they all love helping and the last few weeks there's been quite a few times with  us all sat round a table prepping a harvest to preserve it.  I picked a huge bucket full of beans the other day and my wife groaned as I brought them in my wife let out a huge groan as did my eldest daughter. But everyone piled in and within 20 minutes we had them sorted and bagged for the freezer - another 9 meals worth.  Same with a load of plums I got from my friends, To chop up 9 trays worth to go in the dehydrator takes an age on your own but they were happy to help, luckily they didn't eat too much as they did it!  I know they'll grow out of this soon and will be groaning teenagers before long, so I'll happily make the most of it now!