Picknik Aborted Due To Fruiticide!

In my guise, as the Urbane Forager, I organise free local fruit picking group activities. I was looking forward to an event aimed at picking an abundant source of apples next to the big Asda roundabout in Chandlers Ford.

I gaffer-taped my fruit picker to my bike and cycled the few miles down to the previously arranged meeting point. On the way I checked out a walnut tree and there were a few down, so I quickly gathered them up.



Anyone For Jousting



When I arrived at the location I was puzzled because I could not see the huge apple tree, laden with fruit that I had spotted from the road the month before. I gazed about, to see if I had somehow been mistaken and found only a Crab Apple tree.



Too Small!



Then I noticed (what at first glance looked like) a lot of windfall apples on the ground… Then I saw masses, piles of apples all over the ground… Then, with a mounting sense of horror, I saw the freshly sawn STUMP!



The Naked Stump and Piles of Apples



Someone had cut down this lovely big apple tree in its moment of prime – full of glorious ripe apples. The piles of apples were now smashed and rotting on the ground; the buzzing of wasps was loud in my ears, or was that my indignation, my outrage...



What A Dreadful Waste!



The government tells us that we should eat our five a day.

They tell us to worry about national food security.

We are told we should not waste food.

I rang the Eastleigh borough council tree services department but they had no knowledge of any work being done here recently. I was shocked again, when they told me that a local woman had recently applied for a nearby apple tree to be cut down, because children had been throwing apples! This might be a reason for reprimanding/punishing children but is surely not a motive for cutting down mature fruit trees.



We Cannot Use These



I do understand that there might have been a good reason for cutting down the tree; if it had blown down in the recent wind, then we were simply unlucky with our timing but if it was cut down for other reasons, I would like to know why - and also why the apples were not harvested and put to good use first (I could have made gallons of cider out of them, for instance).

There is rarely a good reason for wasting this much food – there would have been several hundred kilograms off apples on this tree prior to its being felled.



Ruby Reds



On the positive side of things, I spotted several new trees on my journey home and checked out a lovely apple tree in Swathling, which my friend Diane had mentioned to me. It had delicious, juicy, ruby apples that had pinkish/red flesh when you bit them – Just like the apples at Fleming Park Sports Centre in Eastleigh.

Right Through!

I have got permission to pick them on Saturday afternoon, so I propose a Picknik around 2.00pm. Followers of the Urbane Forager will be notified of the location tomorrow.

Apple Avalanche Leads To Cider Tsunami

All those lovely apples, which are hanging off the trees at this time of year, need to be picked over the next month and stored away in your sheds and outhouses. They will keep for several months if wrapped in newspaper or otherwise prevented from touching each other.



Uncle Lozzer - Chief Chopper



I’m fortunate enough to have an old Apple Store, which is a kind of skeleton chest of drawers. My son and I eat a lot of apples but we do not intend to be buying any from the shops this year; this year’s harvest should see us through to about March with any luck.

  

Chopped Apples Ready For Smashing



There are still lots of apple trees laden with ripe fruit though and if we do not use them, they will only go to waste. It makes perfect sense to crop now and make good use of fruit in any way we can; making cider out of apple juice preserves it very well and it is a very satisfying process…



Children Crushing The Pre-Chopped Fruit - Hard Work But Fun



It is also a very simple process but this does not mean that there is no hard work to be done; I had set an ambitious target of Five Gallons of Juice because that is the capacity of my barrels. So we needed to process about 50-60Kgs (3 builders bucketsful) of apples and that is an awful lot of chopping, smashing and pressing.



Actually, This Looks/Tastes More Interesting



Fortunately, I had the help of my two enthusiastic children, who enjoy smashing things anyway and love apple juice. Their Uncle Loz was on hand to lend essential extra muscle and to expertly wield the very sharp knife.



Darn Those Pesky Kids, I know I'm Going To Ache Tomorrow



After a fairly short while of pulping the apples, the children tired and became more interested in the cider press and the nectar running out of it. So I took over duties on the timber while Loz continued to chop the relentless supply of fruit.



The Juice Begins To Flow, Even Before Pressing



It is very exciting when the juice starts to flow and it tastes far better than anything you can get in the shops. But, when you see the first couple of centimetres at the bottom of the bucket, you begin to realise just how far you still have to go.



Pure Nectar!



Rain nearly stopped play halfway through, due to a sudden violent storm and the weather probably added a couple of centimetres to the mix and I think the drink will have to be called Thunder and Lightning Cider now .



Messy, Tasty, Hard-Work and Fun

I was exhausted by the time we reached our mark and aching from every muscle and sinew; I didn’t weigh that length of wood but I lifted it thousands of times. I still have another 5 Gallon barrel to fill, so next time we may just need to recruit an extra couple of able-bodied volunteers. Don't all rush at once...

The Turn of the Screw - Go-Girl, Put Your Back Into It

Here then, is the Urbane Forager’s Guide to the Cider Press…

·         Pick apples – a mixture of varieties is best to begin with.

·         Wash apples - bung a Campden tablet or two in the bucket first.

·         Chop apples – removing any bad bits (no need to peel or core).

·         Smash apples - into pulp using a piece of timber.

·         Press Pulp - into juice.

o   Add teaspoon of Pectinase (optional but helps clearing).

o   Kill natural yeast – add cider yeast (optional but less risky).

o   Add sugar (not required, unless you want to make alcohol content stronger).

·         Ferment juice in a covered bucket.

·         Transfer cider into a suitable barrel or bottle and allow to settle.

·         Drink!

o   Wassailing (you really should thank the trees that supplied your apples and it’s always provident to obey arcane wisdom and folklore where cider is concerned).



Take Cover and Make Sure Those Children Are Well Earthed



Elderberry Port

The Elder tree has long been associated with pagan traditions, witchcraft and folklore; the most auspicious time to encounter faeries is said to be under an elder bush on Midsummer's Eve! 

A Bucketful of Elderberries

Elder Flowers traditionally herald the onset of spring; we celebrated their emergence by using them to make elderflower cordial and champagne.

Fork Off!

Elder berries ripen in late summer/autumn and they can be used for making all kinds of produce. As it happened, I had a spare demijohn in the kitchen so we decided to make Elderberry Port.

Hubble Bubble Boil and Trouble 

This rich and strong wine is reputed to have curative powers; taken hot at night it is said to help prevent the early stages of a cold or sore throat. This is apparently caused by viburnic acid contained in the berries, which can induce perspiration. However, I won’t be able to testify to any of these effects until it’s finished fermenting; something that it is currently doing very enthusiastically.


Steamy Stuff...

These berries were picked from the same bushes that we obtained the flowers from in spring and this is one good reason not to over-pick the flower heads; we gathered a bucket full. On our return to base, I combed the berries from the stalks using a fork and then poured a gallon of boiling water over them.

An Intoxicating Brew

At this point all the unripe/green berries seemed to float magically to the surface, which was handy, so I skimmed these off as a precaution before proceeding with the recipe and creating a mess that looked like a scene from Dante’s hell.

Murder She Wrote!

Although the kitchen soon began to resemble the insides of a witch’s cauldron  the smell was deep, dark and quite enchanting and once the mixture had cooled to a more earthly temperature, I added sugar and the activated yeast. It was soon bubbling away furiously and looking suitably demonic once more.

The Urbane Forager's "Wine Cellar"

The following week, I added blackberry wine to my cannon of Urbane Forager Country Wines and now I must get the butler to put them in the cellar and then wait, and wait, and wait… In the meantime though, I will be converting some of my apples into Urbane Forager’s Cider, which should hopefully be ready to be mulled in time for Halloween!

Picknik #1

Today at noon we met on Southampton Little Common, for the first of our Urbane Forager “Pickniks”.

Let's Get Picking!

We had around 10 people turn up, including friends, children and some folk from the Transition Network. A fairly large branch had been broken off the tree by inconsiderate pickers beforehand, so we knew we had to be careful.

The Apples Soon Start Building Up

The big apple tree was loaded with fat, rosy fruit high up in the canopy but all the lower ones had been taken. Fortunately we were well equipped with apple pickers and some great children, who could climb like monkeys.

Someone Call Monkey World

The weather held out, despite reports of heavy rain, so we started collecting the lovely big apples. After a good load of fruit had accumulated, we had a short break for our picnic but the kids were soon gagging to get back up the tree.

More Challenging Than a Climbing Frame

Everyone filled their bags and baskets and I filled my builder’s buckets with 45Kgs of the best ones I could get my paws on, some of them were huge. We should have enough to store plenty and still have some left for cider making.

Nice Picker Action

As we left, other people were arriving to pick more fruit and there was plenty still left on the tree.

It's a Hand Picked Whopper

Word of the Urbane Forager must be spreading because a woman came up to me as we were leaving and asked where she might find Sloes and Blackberries on the common. I pointed out that it was still a tad early yet for sloes but blackberries can be found all over the place.

Look, No Hands

Traditionally, you pick sloes (to make Sloe Gin amongst other things) after the first frost, so lots of time to hunt them down. However, if you really can’t wait, you can cheat, by picking them early and sticking them through the freezer...

Sorted!

Looking Forward To Picknik #2 Next Weekend

Hazelnutcases - Things To Do With Kids On A Rainy Day

It was just about the last day of the summer holidays; it was blowing a gale, raining hard and the children were bouncing off the walls.

What should we do?

7Kgs, Not a Bad Little Haul, Note the Apples & Pears Too

Call me crazy but I thought it was a great day for collecting hazelnuts, and as it transpired I was right.

We visited a spot close to where I work. Here the nuts fall onto the pavement, and despite the weather we gathered about 7Kgs in about half an hour. My children worked like squirrels and were delighted by the amount of goodies brought down by the storm.

The Squirrels Removing the Leafy Bits

While we were out, I noticed that some of my favourite apples were falling in the wind, so I grabbed a few of the ripest fruits while my kids, bless em, slipped off to play on the swings in the pouring rain. I got about 9Kgs of the tastiest eaters.

Sorted For Hazel/Cob Nuts

Of course everything was a bit wet when we got home, so we stripped the leafy bits off and then put the nuts and our soaking clothes in the airing cupboard to dry off.

The Usual Suspects For Filberts, Hazel or Cob Nuts

My Usual Suspects, fruit and (now) nut line-ups are becoming a definitive feature of the Urbane Forager blog. The main purpose they serve is to demonstrate the variety of shapes and colours within a species. Cob/Hazelnuts/Filberts are no exception; some are big and round some are small and pointy, some are flatter and some are triangular but they all taste good to eat.

The Usual Suspects Eating Apples - They All Taste Different and Great

Here is another one for the apples we collected this day, they all taste quite unique but these apples (and nuts) were all gathered from a tiny area, within about 30m of each other.

Hazelnuts, Delicious and Nutritious

Hazelnuts (also known as Cobnuts and Filberts) are versatile and flavoursome, they are also one of the most nutritious nuts, an excellent source of protein, vitamin E, dietary fibre, magnesium, and B vitamins. They are very low in saturated fat and high in healthy mono and polyunsaturated fats.

Little Brown Beauties

More importantly, hazelnuts are available for free, right now, in a hedgerow near you. These ubiquitous hard-backed, brown beauties can be found in many hedges and woodland but roadside hedges are often easier because the nuts are simple to see when they drop onto the pavement.

Unripe Nuts on the Pavement

Hazelnuts can be eaten unripe, when the squirrels start – you will see the evidence of this on the floor in the form of crushed and nibbled shells with emerald collars. Personally, I prefer not to pick them off the trees but to collect them when they are falling naturally, after ripening; they look brown and will have fallen free of their collars. I collected my first load this week during my lunch hour; I bring a few home each day in my sandwich box (or hat) to be eaten, cooked or squirrelled away for the winter months.

A Hatfull of Hazelnuts

The first nuts started dropping in early September and these do tend to taste a bit green, so I leave them out in the sun for a while before using them. Never leave them outside unattended though, or the local squirrels will soon have them away (these grey-coated gangsters are the pickpockets of the rodent world).

Hazelnuts Ripening on a Tree in June

There are of course oodles of tasty recipes for spreads, snacks, meals, puddings and lots of other ways of preparing them. I made a lovely trail mix this year and I may experiment with drying/dehydrating other fruit to supplement my latest hoard. First though, I intend to make Chocolate & Hazelnut Spread with the children. I have a feeling that this might prove popular...

Urbane Forager free-seasonal-tree-id-sheets-ready

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/hazelnut

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2007/sep/08/features.recipes

Last year I kept my little store in a wicker waste-paper basket in the airing cupboard, which dried them out nicely and they tasted great up until May when I finished them.

Don't Throw These Away

Rotund Round-Up

We have just returned from a lovely holiday in Devon with apples on our minds as well as several bags full that we collected during our trip. I am planning some (entirely legitimate) scrumping trips this month, in association with my new friends at Transition but more details on that soon – Don’t touch that dial!

First Though, More Pears!

First though, a quick pear round-up; it has been a great year for all fruit and pears are no exception, with tree branches bowed under the weight of this fabulous bottom-heavy fruit.

High Fruit - No Problem

First we visited a tree situated on waste-ground in Portswood – this is a personal favourite of mine and last year we got a splendid yield from it. This year we were possibly a bit late and many of the lower fruit had already been taken but we soon had the extendable fruit picker in action plucking off the big boys at the higher reaches.

Actually Daddy, I Do Like Pears Now

My son previously professed not to like pears, despite being something of an apple fiend. After helping me fill the bucket though, my daughter and I eventually persuaded him to try one of our bulging beauties and he was soon converted.

About 10 Kgs

Next we zoomed off up to Pear-Tree Green and you don’t need to be a genius to work out what we were after there.

Walnuts and Pears You Plant For Your Heirs

First port of call was the lovely little tree planted by the city Mayor in 1951, which still produces a healthy crop of unusually small and round pears.



Thanks Mayor Cutler



These make excellent little snacks so we filled my daughter’s hat with some to take home and left loads to ripen further on the tree.

Always Bring Suitable Sun Protection - You Never Know When You Might Need It

Close by there is a pub – named The Pear Tree, and guess what grows in the pub garden?



What A Coincidence



This is a huge tree laden with huge pears and I’m sure that if someone asked the landlord/lady nicely, he or she would be happy if someone came to help pick the fruit. Who knows, it may even be possible to arrange some kind of beer fuelled pear picking party in their garden.

Big Pears on a Big Tree

Returning home with our boot full of fruit (we got about 10Kgs of pears this time), I remembered another very tasty pudding that the Head Chef had made previously – Chocolate Pear Upside-Down Cake!

Looks Good Enough To Eat, Doesn't It?

A great reward for the tired and hungry children, and let’s not forget the poor Urbane Forager; I am now in training and aiming to be in peak condition for the forthcoming season’s apple avalanche!

Also Likes Chocolate Cake Mixture

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