Harvest Time

The nights are drawing in (meaning the nights are getting longer and the days shorter, funnily enough) and it’s harvest time on the smallholding. We now know that one kilo of blackberries (or brambles as they are also known) makes one jar of jelly. Despite attempting succession planting, all the tomatoes and cucumbers ripened at the same time and I had to process what felt like half a metric tonne of produce into food. So our freezer is now packed with batches of tomato sauce and the pantry is groaning with tomato and onion chutney, mild chili jam and I still need to make green tomato chutney from the load that is left in the greenhouse. Here are some pictures:

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We had to go foraging for brambles which meant GSW hitching a lift in the back of the tractor (see my feet in the picture?). The brambles were succulent and we were soon covered in purple juice up to our elbows (and blood from the thorns scratching us). The rule is to pick above waist height leaving plenty for other creatures. We then discovered that Doofus was eating the low hanging fruit, using a process involving peeling his lips back, extending his teeth like the monster in the Aliens films, grabbing a berry between his teeth and pulling back until the plant surrendered, He did not seem to get scratched by the thorns at all. Pretty clever for a dog!

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