What are you preserving?

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punkrockcaveman

Full Member
Jan 28, 2017
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1,514
yorks
Recently, the mushrooms have been doing very well. Particularly penny buns, bay boletes and hen of the woods, so I have been drying any excess mushrooms which will either get rehydrated or turns into powder for stock.

A mate has been putting his dehydrator to good use, with fruit leathers of all kinds of foraged fruit combinations, dried mushrooms, but my Particular favourite has been dried pears- these are a real sugary treat. We have an old pear tree near by, from an old mansion, and the fruits are small but super sweet and juicy.
 
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punkrockcaveman

Full Member
Jan 28, 2017
1,457
1,514
yorks
Chanterelles and hedgehog fungus are on point at the moment! They make great pickles- flavoured with soy, homegrown rosemary and bay, yorkshire honey, local dried wild garlic and local Jack by the hedge seeds in white wine vinegar.

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swyn

Life Member
Nov 24, 2004
1,159
227
Eastwards!
My Polish friend went off to Thetford Forest today with one of his pals mushroom hunting. I hope to see the results tomorrow.
On our patch I think things will be a bit later coz of it being so dry.
S
 
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Suffolkrafter

Settler
Dec 25, 2019
526
464
Suffolk
My Polish friend went off to Thetford Forest today with one of his pals mushroom hunting. I hope to see the results tomorrow.
On our patch I think things will be a bit later coz of it being so dry.
S
Please let us know what your friend found. Ive been out and about in the area around Thetford and there doesn't seem to be too much about (apart from brown roll rim) compared to other parts of the uk.
Punkrockcaveman that is a phenomenal haul of chanterelle, I'm envious!
 
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punkrockcaveman

Full Member
Jan 28, 2017
1,457
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yorks
I've had to travel for them @Suffolkrafter , I've failed to find any close by in a good 2 years of serious searching.

It's been a fantastic year for penny buns already this year, I doubt there will be too many more to show to be honest, but the hedgehog mushrooms are yet to peak and I'm expecting a good few winter chanterelles soon...
 

swyn

Life Member
Nov 24, 2004
1,159
227
Eastwards!
Please let us know what your friend found. Ive been out and about in the area around Thetford and there doesn't seem to be too much about (apart from brown roll rim) compared to other parts of the uk.
Punkrockcaveman that is a phenomenal haul of chanterelle, I'm envious!
He told me of his rather poor finds. Only seven items:(. We both think things may improve in a months time.
S
 

Suffolkrafter

Settler
Dec 25, 2019
526
464
Suffolk
He told me of his rather poor finds. Only seven items:(. We both think things may improve in a months time.
S
Shame. I guess it's either not cooled down enough or not wet enough. Usually my local patch of woodland is awash with yellow stainers, but there are only one or two at the moment. I might give it a few weeks before heading back out.
 
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Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,979
4,624
S. Lanarkshire
I'm still picking raspberries, and working my way through the glut of apples, pears, quince and damsons.
Lovely fruits though :) it has been a beautiful year for it all. The pantries are stuffed.
 
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Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,665
McBride, BC
A question. End of season, I can buy 20-50 lbs very ripe and very big tomatoes for very cheap. They are sloppy wet juicy runny. How can I deal with the juice and still set these up for drying? I absolutely adore dried tomatoes.
 
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Woody girl

Full Member
Mar 31, 2018
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Exmoor
Lots of green tomatoes in my friend's greenhouse, and with the few remaining on my plants we have about 6lb, so will be making green tomato chutney tomorrow afternoon.
Plus a gift of plums means some Plum jam will be next on the list.
Also rosehip syrup, as I managed to find a nice crop of those.

Sloe gin is mashing away in the kilner jar, along with apple pie vodka, in another, (apples and a cinnamon stick)
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,979
4,624
S. Lanarkshire
Oh sour, sour, and I like sour, but hmmm. Treat like lemons. I made a kind of marmalade from them, but they were better used like rowans and I made apple and rowan jelly :)
Very good with meat like venison or lamb....or if you're vegetarian like me, good on oatcakes with a wee slice of cheese :)
 

Woody girl

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Mar 31, 2018
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Exmoor
I’m tempted to harvest sea buckthorn berries as there is a whole load about 1/2 mile long in the foreshore at Bo’ness.

Anyone done any ?

Love sea buckthorn, so full of vitamins. Sea buckthorn juice is a thing, not ever had any as such, but I did make a hot drink using it and some honey to sweeten as a wild tea.
I'd love to find some near me, but I've never found it on my bit of the coast.
I think Hugh F W did something with it on his river cottage series. I have a vague memory of it.
 
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swyn

Life Member
Nov 24, 2004
1,159
227
Eastwards!
I’m tempted to harvest sea buckthorn berries as there is a whole load about 1/2 mile long in the foreshore at Bo’ness.

Anyone done any ?
My wife & I went to https://wakelyns.co.uk/
For their open day. Fab and interesting visit it was too.

We came away with a small branch laden with lovely yellow berries which have now been processed and are in the fridge ‘setting’ in readiness for planting in the spring.
S
 
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Woody girl

Full Member
Mar 31, 2018
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Exmoor
Lashings of wild garlic butter now in the freezer for use during the rest of the year. I will soon be pickling the wild garlic seeds too.
Nettles drying for nettle tea, some stings got through my gardening gloves, I suffer from them badly, and my hands will be on fire for several days now. Marigolds next time!
 

Woody girl

Full Member
Mar 31, 2018
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Exmoor
The elderflower cordial is made! Beautiful flowers in profusion this year, and so far no rain to spoil the blossom.
2 1/5 litres from today's haul, plus some are drying in the sun for use in face cream I want to make.
Plums on yellow ticket, 2 kilos, so enough for some jam and chutney.
Rhubarb is ready for picking, so Rhubarb cordial and Rhubarb and ginger jam, with maybe some Rhubarb chutney too.
Busy busy busy bee!
 
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Woody girl

Full Member
Mar 31, 2018
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Exmoor
3 jars of rhubarb and ginger jam this morning.
Can't make up my mind what to do with the plums, jam, chutney or spiced in brandy.
 
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Bhod

Forager
Feb 2, 2007
153
14
58
North Tyneside
3 jars of rhubarb and ginger jam this morning.
Can't make up my mind what to do with the plums, jam, chutney or spiced in brandy.
I make a rhubarb, stem ginger and vodka relish, which goes great with cooked meats or cheeses.
It started off as a by-product of making some rhubarb vodka and then wondering what to do with the rhubarb once it had finished steeping in the vodka ;)
 

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