Apples

Every year we promise to save as many Bramley apples as we can, either by storing or freezing them, and every year we fail, big style.  Until this year I'm happy to say.

I said to Michael that this weekend I would like to get as many apples off the trees before the high winds come through here next week, according to today's forecast.  So that's what we've been up to -

Look at that blue sky too, shame it didn't last!

After a good sort through and getting as many off the tree as we could, we had three piles - Pig apples, apples to use/freeze now/near future and storage apples.

Our storage system, now five stories high!

The to deal with asap pile.

Suffice to say the pigs have already eaten some of their's, I don't like to give them all at once, in case the acid is too much for the stomach's.

What's left on the tree will come down in the wind and be collected for use immediately or be given to the pigs.  We are feeling mighty chuffed with ourselves today, first year we have really harvested these apples, and as they are not selling from the shop, roll on plenty of apple pies Mr Tweedy!  So now starts the peeling and chopping stage, let's hope I have plenty of plasters on stand by!

Stats today -

Eggs produced = 5

Sales -
1 dozen eggs £1.80
Still no pumpkins sold (?)

Expenses -
Nil

Another home produced tea

I was going to do a blog post on Orpington chickens tonight, but I think I'll save that for another day, because our tea tonight was so good and nearly all home produced I just had to tell you about it.  I've had a lovely day concocting our tea, I do love spending a good couple of hours in the kitchen so I thought I'd share it with you.

We had -
Bacon, Leek & Potato pie with Romanesco in a cheese and mustard sauce with steamed cabbage.
Followed by -
Apple pie and Ice cream

Just Yum!

Home produced stuff was -
Leeks, potatoes, tomato, eggs, Romanesco cabbage, cabbage, apples; oh and of course all the pastry was homemade.  Haven't got any home produced bacon at the moment, it's still on the hoof!

Here it is -

Bacon, leek & potato pie

My plateful!

The Apple pie

And the best bit it is, there's leftovers for tomorrow nights tea, I do love a cooking session where you can cook for more than one day.

Stats today

Eggs produced = 6

Sales -
2 x Cabbages £1.30
2 x 1Kg bags of tomatoes £2.00

Expenses -
Nil

The best and easiest crumble recipe EVER!

This is just the best crumble recipe ever, or so I've found up to now!  AND it's so easy - Bonus!

I even make double batches because it freezes so well.

Taken from Prue's New Country Kitchen, by Prue Coats, pages 152-153, which is available on Amazon, starting at just one penny, plus P&P.

900g Fruit - any you like, I frequently use apples, plums, rhubarb, rasps, or even a mixture of tinned fruit.
Sugar

175g Plain flour
110g Butter
110g Demerara Sugar - to be honest I just use whatever I've got, light brown, granulated white etc
75g Rolled Oats - again I use whatever oats I've got - porridge etc
75g Flaked almonds
75g Ground almonds

Pre heat oven to 200 Deg C/400 Deg F/Gas Mark 6
Cook the fruit lightly, spoon into a dish and allow to cool, sweeten to taste with the sugar if required - I don't tend to bother cooking or sweetening it before I put it in the oven.

Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs
Mix in the rest of the other ingredients
Spoon over the fruit and bake for 30 - 40 minutes
Serve with custard, ice cream, creme fraiche - whichever is your favourite

ENJOY!

Fruit, fruit everywhere and all of it to eat!

Now I love fruit, all of it, could live on it I reckon, so when we moved in here, it was with great joy that I noticed several mature fruit trees.  I never get bored of apple pies, crumbles, tarts, or the same with plums.

Now the plums look stunning this year, the two Victoria plum trees are loaded with fruit.  Last year was a different matter, nothing at all, not one fruit did we get, the awful spring annihilated all the blossom. So apart from the fruit on the lower branches that the dogs jump up and pinch, we should have a bumper crop this year.

Pear trees are laden as well this year.  We have two trees here, one is a Conference tree and the other has Conference pears but another type on it aswell, must have been grafted onto it.

I assure you these are on the same tree!

Purple plums

These are the Bramleys, the cookers, two huge trees we have which are again laden with fruit this year, again the dog's pinch the ones they can, and then get sickly tummies for doing so, but there are always so many on the trees, we have more than we need.  Plenty get put in the freezer to eat all year round and then some will get sold this year.

The other tree we have is an eating apple.  I have no idea which variety it is other than it's a russet apple. They are delicious if you like a good hard, tart apple.  There doesn't seem to be many on the tree this year which is a shame, but hey, you can't have everything.

The eaters!

The other fruit we have is raspberries, which have finished now; I did put six kilo's in the freezer, of which most I will jam.  We also put in 100 strawberry plants this year, but didn't let them fruit, just let the plants build up their strength, to hopefully produce lots of lovely strawb's next year - can't wait!

What types of fruit do you grow, and which do you find most successful?  I'd be interested to hear, especially on top fruit, as this is something we haven't ventured into yet.

Stats today -

Eggs produced = 7 

Sales -

1/2 dozen eggs £0.90

1 x Cucumber £0.60

1 x 250g Tomatoes £1.00

Expenses -

Nil