Bumper year for sloes

[old'un]

Looks like a bumper year for sloes, been a walk around one of the farms I shoot and the woodland margins are full of sloes and some are grape size and full of juice, another week and I will be picking and pricking.

Not seen a crop like this for a good few years, hope they make some nice sloe gin, think its time for a trip to Aldi for some cheap gin.

 

Edited September 6, 2020 by old'un

[Rob85]

I remember being told not to pick then until the first frost. I suppose waiting that long risks the birds getting there first 

[strimmer_13]

It's bumper crop here too. Misses has against my advice already made a bottle. With the amount around and the way sloe whisky turned out last year, im going to source a demijohn or 2 and start next weekend. Again a big trip to lidl or aldi is in order. 

[old'un]

11 minutes ago, Rob85 said:

I remember being told not to pick then until the first frost. I suppose waiting that long risks the birds getting there first 

Birds don't eat sloes, well I have never seen one eating them, have you ever tried eating one? and the first frost is an old wife's tale, same as putting them in the freezer, you just end up with mush and they oxidise.

 

I look for colour, juice content and taste, never let me down yet and I have been making sloe gin for 40 years and get comments on how good it tastes.

[Old farrier]

5 minutes ago, old'un said:

Birds don't eat sloes, well I have never seen one eating them, have you ever tried eating one? and the first frost is an old wife's tale, same as putting them in the freezer, you just end up with mush and they oxidise.

 

I look for colour, juice content and taste, never let me down yet and I have been making sloe gin for 40 years and get comments on how good it tastes.

Do you float flaked almonds on the top of the fruit? 

[old'un]

5 minutes ago, Old farrier said:

Do you float flaked almonds on the top of the fruit? 

No, but I do sometimes put a teaspoon of vanilla extract in 3ltrs of gin.

[Old farrier]

3 minutes ago, old'un said:

No, but I do sometimes put a teaspoon of vanilla extract in 3ltrs of gin.

Maybe try it 😊

[billytheghillie]

no sloes up here yet

[welshwarrior]

I’ll be picking next week as well, another vote for vanilla extract.  

[figgy]

Said the same about this year's sloes other day.

 

[oldypigeonpopper]

Hello, sloes seems to have done well but not so on the blackberries 👎

[Fatcatsplat]

On 06/09/2020 at 16:38, old'un said:

Birds don't eat sloes, well I have never seen one eating them, have you ever tried eating one? 

Well, something is eating them by me - The top branches are virtually empty and they are well out the way of human hands

[old'un]

5 hours ago, Fatcatsplat said:

Well, something is eating them by me - The top branches are virtually empty and they are well out the way of human hands

are you sure there were some to start with?

[Rob85]

One of my permissions has a good few about. Took a walk through yesterday but they aren't that big, but some on the branches are starting to shrivel. I reckon I'll be picking tomorrow or Friday. A few rosehips around too

[gmm243]

I have none by me, usually have plenty to pick,very poor apples and black berries too.Bees not doing well either,been feeding them since the start of Aug and no honey to harvest.

[Fatcatsplat]

14 hours ago, old'un said:

are you sure there were some to start with?

That may well be why i said it - I've got very familiar with the several hundred acres of farmland around me since we went on lockdown

[GingerCat]

On 06/09/2020 at 16:26, Rob85 said:

I remember being told not to pick then until the first frost. I suppose waiting that long risks the birds getting there first 

Just freeze them after picking. Does the same job and stops others pinching them all before you get there.