What a shocking year!

[Kleftiwallah]

What a shocking year this side of the pond. I walked along the canal towpath making my way to my favourite crabapple tree and stood back horrified! NO crabapples at all, I don't mean fewer than normal, none at all. I had to fall back on brambles for the pectin needed in my plum jam.

Walked down the lane only to see damson bushes with NO damsons, I'm dreading looking for sloes. It's a good job I made a decent quantity last year.

but it is better than being pissed ON.

Cheers, Tony.

 

[saramc]

Last year in the US many of us had no crabapples...had a bumper crop this year.
Plums were iffy for many this year. I have never seen a sloe, need to look that up....though I adore sloe gin fizzes!!

 

[Runningwolf]

Last year in the US many of us had no crabapples...had a bumper crop this year.

Funny how that works. Living by Lake Erie we had a bumper crop of crab apples last year and none this year. This is something I would make a large batch of again. I added it to many blends.

 

[ibglowin]

I will send you some! Must have 1000's on the ground by now. Also have 1000's of these tiny "ornamental apples" of sorts. It was a bumper crop year for fruit in these parts No late freezes so loads of stuff everywhere.

Next year Tony!

 

[Minnesotamaker]

In my area, we had weird Spring weather, so lots of the fruit bearers were barren this year. No cherries, plums, or mulberries, and very few elderberries. This caused the birds to place undue pressure on my vineyard this year. They were eating the grapes while they were still green and hard. Lost about 25% of my crop before I could get them netted.

I guess the bright side of wine making is that you can make wine from so many different things. When one crop is bad, you can switch to something more productive and have something different.

 

[UBB]

Terrible year for plums in my neck of the woods. We have 120 trees planted ourselves and got maybe a couple of handfuls.

 

[Poormanfarm]

I guess the best policy is that when we have a bumper crop of something we should make a double supply. You never know what the next season will look like.

 

[Deezil]

I guess the best policy is that when we have a bumper crop of something we should make a double supply. You never know what the next season will look like.

Make it while you got it, and hang onto it for as long as you can

.. cause ya never know when there'll be a "next time"

 

[Kleftiwallah]

Ornamental apples.

I will send you some! Must have 1000's on the ground by now. Also have 1000's of these tiny "ornamental apples" of sorts. It was a bumper crop year for fruit in these parts No late freezes so loads of stuff everywhere.

Next year Tony!

Good afternoon ibglowin,
I think we Brit's call those apples 'cocktail apples'.

Cheers, Tony.