Allotment.

[taddy]

In 2016 I planted Two apple trees, two pear trees and two plumb trees, on my allotment, up until now I have managed to pick maybe a couple of dozen apples, no pears and no plumbs. last Sunday I picked over seven pounds of Damsons, (plumbs) for the first time which Mrs Taddy wanted in order to make Damson jam which was no problem until I had spend over an hour with a de-stoning implement in order to remove the stones before the said Mrs Taddy could convert them into the bottles of jam, i.e. Strawberry, Damson, Blackcurrant etc. I have never been and am not a G-d Botherer but by G-d am I glad that I met her.

[taddy]

This is possibly the last post on the allotment this year, a "Worcestershire Pearmain" apple tree that was on the allotment when I took it over six years ago has produced a bumper crop this year, i have picked thirty five pounds of fruit which filled four carrier bags, I have given one bag to friends and relatives and Mrs Taddy said that she will use the rest to make and freeze pies and crumbles etc but the thought of the two of us peeling and coring a couple of hundred apples had me dreading the deed.
After looking online, I spotted a "Rotato Express" an electrical gadget that peels all manner of fruit and veg, so as well as the pies and crumbles, Hazel is slicing and freezing or slicing and drying the said hundreds of apples; all we need now is a warehouse to store them in. Your's a happily married Luddite but reasonable gardener.
Taddy.

[taddy]

As a postscript to my so-called last allotment post this year, I thought that for anyone that is interested I would puff my chest out a Little and list the produce that the said allotment has produced this year.

Plum Tomatoes=3lbs, Green Beans=5lbs, Onions=160, Cucumbers=12, Potatoes=50lbs,
Strawberries= 29lbs, Blackcurrants= 5lbs, Raspberries= 2lbs, Rhubarb= 100 plus stalks, Apples 35lbs
Yours a happy, if sometimes exhausted Chappy, what is the health service guideline? eat your five a day!

[cashman]

to be honest all we have done on our allotment is relax when its been nice enough, we have an apple tree on ours it gives loads of apples every year.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Well Done Taddy……look forward to more growing when the season begins next year.

[DaveinGermany]

Originally Posted by taddy

Mrs Taddy said that she will use the rest to make and freeze pies and crumbles etc but the thought of the two of us peeling and coring a couple of hundred apples had me dreading the deed.

No, no, no, a simple home made press, big tub & some canister, bit of yeast & away you go! Home made Scrumpy!

[Margaret Pilkington]

Ooh yes!
I have only had scrumpy once…..it was like rocket fuel…very potent.
I felt like I was plaiting my legs off a pint of that stuff.

[taddy]

Originally Posted by DaveinGermany

No, no, no, a simple home made press, big tub & some canister, bit of yeast & away you go! Home made Scrumpy!

Dave, your comment took me back to the 1980s when our lad was in the Junior leaders' regiment Royal Armoured Corps. Hazel and I went to his passing out parade at 1 RTRs base at Bovington in Dorset. in the evening I called into a local pub where I noticed that they sold scrumpy.
"Good evening, sir" the landlord cheerily asked, "What can I get you", to which I replied I am normally a real ale bitter drinker but I have always had a hankering to taste a pint of scrumpy, no problem sir he said as he pulled me a pint, I enjoyed it so much that after 15/20 minutes or so my glass was empty and I asked for another pint.
"If you have never tried scrumpy before sir, I would be a little bit careful" the landlord said to which I replied, Oh don't worry about me I have been suppin real ale since I was a teenager, "that's ok he answered.
After finishing my second pint I was in need of the loo but when I attempted to leave the bar stool my legs would not do what my brain was telling them although I could think and speak as normal, "Aye that be the scrumpy sir the landlord offered.
Lesson learned, always respect the local's advice when in a strange land.

[Margaret Pilkington]

My experience of Scrumpu was in a place called Beer in Devon….and only a pint did it for me.

[taddy]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

My experience of Scrumpu was in a place called Beer in Devon….and only a pint did it for me.

Me and Hazel have been there a couple of times, we love the place and raw cider by the way is "Scrumpy" not Scrumpu; unless it affected you like a laxative that is.

[DaveinGermany]

Aye, there are a few anecdotal tales revolving around "Townies" heading to the great outdoors & thinking they know better than the locals be that about the local brew or other country pursuits.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by taddy

Me and Hazel have been there a couple of times, we love the place and raw cider by the way is "Scrumpy" not Scrumpu; unless it affected you like a laxative that is.

Taddy that was a typo…..if you look on your keyboard the y and the u are next to each other.
I don’t get the ‘laxative’ bit though…you will have to explain it to me.

[taddy]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

Taddy that was a typo…..if you look on your keyboard the y and the u are next to each other.
I don’t get the ‘laxative’ bit though…you will have to explain it to me.

Scrumpu, sounds like scrumpoo, I thought that it would be self-explanatory but then again maybe not, sorry.

[Margaret Pilkington]

I was reading it as Scrumpyou…..so the poo bit did not occur to me.
To the pure all things are pure.

[DaveinGermany]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

To the pure all things are pure.

Well that's me knackered then!