Wanted Please - Harrogate / York / Leeds area

[Forestchook]

Hi,

Does anyone know if/where they is somewhere that accepts donations of homemade jam? If a place/ charity/ organisation does exist what are their regulations in terms of when it was bottled etc are? Would the maker need a food hygine certificate?

We tend to make a lot of jam because of the fruit bushes and trees in the garden. Unfortunately we do not consume or give away enough to keep up with our own production. It would be great if it could be used however I suspect the majority of our current backlog will have to be dumped

Out of curiosity how long would most people keep home made jam before they consider it inedible? Or at least inadvisable?

thanks

N

[Lavenders_Blue]

Could it be donated to local lunch clubs, old peoples homes etc? I'm thinking they may be able to offer scones and jam etc.

I have eaten jam that is 4 years old. There was nothing inedible or dangerous about it, it had not spoiled in any way, but the sugar had crystallised slightly. So it wasn't exactly at its best, but definitely not dangerous.

Would you be able to shift any by selling the jam for charity? My mum does this, as my dad also grows a lot of fruit. She sells it at church and hubby and I take some into work to sell. She makes quite a bit of money for charity by doing this.

[Eggasperated]

Out of curiosity how long would most people keep home made jam before they consider it inedible? Or at least inadvisable?

thanks

N

 

My 91 year old Mum found a jar from 1999 when I was staying with her in June - she decided it looked fine and put it back for 'later' as she didn't need another jar opened yet - I guess that the war years made people a bit more reluctant to throw food away than we are today.

[Forestchook]

My sister-in-law did suggest she could take some in to her work to sell but I am uncertain how much we could do this with. How old is still acceptable to sell? I feel a little uneasy about offering anything over a year or maybe two. That being said, I wouldn't have any qualms about eating older stuff myself (using suitable caution i.e. if it looks or smells dogdy don't eat it)

To put things in context, there are currently about 30 jars outside the kitchen door waiting to be emptied, all dated 2004 or 2005. I think the majority of it would be fine to eat but I can't see it ever being used. The other year I dumped about five and a half bucketfulls! The youngest of which were dated 1994

If I can sell the stuff from say 2009 onwards do you think anywhere would accept the older stuff free? Or should I give in and dump it?

[Lavenders_Blue]

If I were that desperate to get rid of the jam I would probably stick it in a box outside my house with a 'Free - please help yourself' label on it. As long as the jam is clearly labelled with the date, people can choose to take it or leave it as they wish. It seems such a waste just to bin it!

[DomConway]

If I were that desperate to get rid of the jam I would probably stick it in a box outside my house with a 'Free - please help yourself' label on it. As long as the jam is clearly labelled with the date, people can choose to take it or leave it as they wish. It seems such a waste just to bin it!

Sounds like a plan. We might be doing the same with some of our eggs

[bluekarin]

My Polish grandma used to make the most amazing Victoria plus jam from the plums in her back garden. She made others as well. The best ones were the slightly fizzing ones Tasted amazing. But she was from very tough beginnings (being in Poland during the war) so they stored everything that was edible. I have a weaker tum which is easily turned at tiny blue bits on bread so tend to bin jams etc when they look a bit suspect.