It Looks Like A Good Year For Sloes !

[Alan De Enfield]

We have a lot of Blackthorn hedges around us and they are currently in 'full flower'
Its looking like it'll be another good year for the Sloes and the resulting Sloe-Gin.


This is one of the half-mile long hedges I was walking past yesterday.

 

[John Fenna]

We have masses of blossom around here too - I just hope that it all sets!
Not many insects about at the moment ... the recent snow kept them hiding...

 

[Woody girl]

The local damson tree is covered in blossom here. Here is hoping for a good crop this year.

 

[Nice65]

The hedgerows are like snow drifts here with the blossom, ornamental cherries too. A good year for Prunus spp. as long as we don’t get a cold blast or ‘strong wind’ (I’ll have a word with the snoozing Jack Russell next to me about that ). May trees are next, lovely but slightly sickly scent everywhere. I love this time of year.

 

[Tony]

Same here, loads of blossom, I'm not sure we'll get many sloes this year though, we had loads last year and they tend to be big crops every two years...

 

[TeeDee]

Have Sloes in abundance currently - and I know the advice is to only pick post the First Frost but what do people really do?

Do you all pick them and sling them in the Freezer?

Must be an optimal period for picking them.

 

[The Lord Poncho]

We pick them, and chuck them in the freezer! (i have previously individually pricked them in order to release the flavour, and would heartily recomend that no-one else follows that route!)

 

[TeeDee]

We pick them, and chuck them in the freezer! (i have previously individually pricked them in order to release the flavour, and would heartily recomend that no-one else follows that route!)

I think I have a Derma Micro Roller somewhere ( 1 " roller - really small fine needles ) so may actually give that a go. Cheers.

 

[Tengu]

Freezer, definatley.

I tried pricking them once; who the heck gives out that sort of advice??

 

[Nice65]

I think I have a Derma Micro Roller somewhere ( 1 " roller - really small fine needles ) so may actually give that a go. Cheers.

My dad made up pieces of ply with loads of tacks tapped through. We’d put a layer of sloes on, press them down, and scoop them into the bottle.

I reckon a staple gun would make an easier job of it, but it was effective.

 

[punkrockcaveman]

another for the freezer here. Make your life easy by steeping them in a massive kilner jar. Could probably mash them up a bit too