Chicken boarders

[Charlottechicken]

Has anyone noticed if the blackthorn is flowering this year? I haven't been to my secret sloe picking location to check, but have seen some of what I think are blackthorn from train journeys recently, and it appears to be in bloom.

 

Seeing as the bees have been buzzing around my flower laden plum tree I am hopeful for a good supply of sloes this year, as we didn't have any round here last year

[Falkor]

Spooky, Cookie and I were having a chat last night and were talking about making sloe gin!

 

I really hope there are sloes this year as like you I didn`t get to make any last year I had to BUY IT!!!!

[Lesley]

Ours are in flower - along with the plum and damson trees, we didn't have any fruit from them last year at all - let's hope this year is better.

[Charlottechicken]

Same here Lesley. I had over 10lb of fruit off my little plum tree in 2007 (if I remember it was a very good year for sloes too), last year there were 5 plums on the whole tree, and the ants and wasps beat me to them

 

This year there are so many flowers on the plum, if half of them fruit I will have to prop the branches up

 

I really hope there are sloes this year as like you I didn`t get to make any last year I had to BUY IT!!!!

 

Eek! What does bought sloe gin taste like?

 

We must have a contingency for no-sloe years, I recall there were plenty of rosehips, maybe they will pickle nicely in some alcohol or other

[The Dogmother]

I'm watching it keenly too as last year's harvest was total pants.

[Rhapsody]

Last year the late April snow killed everything off. So far so good this year!

[miffy]

we couldn't find any sloes last year but there is a lot of blackthorn flowering at present here, Our apple and pear trees have all got blossom out although some are further on than others. We have had a lot of frosts here this winter (unusual) I hope we dont have any more very behind with our planting

[The Dogmother]

Lots of blackthorn here too, fingers crossed for a bountiful autumn.

 

My plum tree had the blossom blasted off it by last week's rain - I just hope that the bees got a chance to pollenate it before the flowers went.

 

Apple and crab apple trees looking good though

[Christian]

Loads of hawthorn blossom this year, so hears hoping! Comments were made about the lack of sloe gin last year

[Lesley]

All our apples are in blossom - I took photos yesterday.......including one of your earmarked tree Christian!

[Christian]

Lovely! Crab apples and clove jelly here I come! *rubs hands together*

[Old Speckled Hen]

The hedgerows here are awash with flowering black thorn and if the weather holds for another fortnight we'll be awash with sloes in the autumn.

I managed to make only one bottle last year

Blackberry gin is a wonderful alternative when there aren't any sloes. Just don't make it too sweet.

I picked pounds and pounds of blackberries last year and made wine as well.

The first demi john has just been bottled. It's very strong and very blackberryyyyy.

[The Dogmother]

Me too DA; I only managed to pick enough sloes last year to make Phil one bottle of gin, but he's nearly finished the raspberry voddy that I made him for Christmas.

[chickencam]

Sloe gin is divine, we have only managed one good batch over the past few years. We gave some to our neighbour who is in her late 70's and she kept leaving the empty bottle on our doorstep with a thankyou note so we would refill it and give it back, she loved it

[Charlottechicken]

I picked pounds and pounds of blackberries last year and made wine as well.

The first demi john has just been bottled. It's very strong and very blackberryyyyy.

 

Ooh, I would really like to get into wine making. Although it is a bit more involved than sloe gin I fear

 

Next alcoholic beverage in the calendar of booze is elderflower champagne isn't it