So it was a delight to move to rural(ish) Essex almost two years ago. We left behind a small urban garden and took on a rather more sizeable village garden. It's hardly a field, but it has a decent veggie plot and a greenhouse (which is currently more of a dust house - but more of that another time). The veggie plot has been an unexpected source of pleasure as I attempt `GARDENING'.
Admittedly, my first year was a roaring success - but I suspect it had very little to do with me. The previous owner left behind well-cultivated beds and red currents, raspberries, strawberries and blackberries made their appearance without any help from me. I sowed dwarf yellow beans and corn and both were a roaring success. But I actually did nothing (bar plant the seeds).
This year it has been a very different story.
The long wet winter seems to have depleted the ground (something I noticed too late in the season) and the seeds I planted so reliably last year failed to take. I then tried seedlings and these have done far better - I can reliably say that beetroot and spinach are idiot proof crops! It is, however, clear that I will need to work on my soil management, but as the ground has baked hard in the heatwave, there is little I can do until conditions ease (or so it seems to my untrained eye).
Yes - the heatwave. It has singed and seared and generally beaten down what few scraps remain of my vegetable growing efforts. It has, however, done absolute wonders for my little apple tree and the blackberries, whizzing into action a full month early this year, are plentiful.
Several apple and blackberry crumbles later, I today decided to give jam a go. All my google searches promised an easy task and so I set out to make apple and blackberry jam - Mark One.
So here is the Gardening by Error untrained (and probably untrainable) recipe for Jam Mark One. I use cups for everything because I am always in a hurry and can't be bothered to weigh and measure:
Roughly 4 cups of chopped apples (those that are bitten/bruised are great since you are cutting them up any-way)
3 cups of blackberries (soak these very well and double wash them as they can be alive with critters)
2 cups of golden sugar (although I think any sugar will do)
I added water, but I think this is probably unnecessary as I then drained some off.
Stew on a low heat until soft and then boil rapidly for about 5 minutes, stirring continuously.
These quantities made about two and a half 340g jars of jam. I do admit that I had to mash the apple a bit, but it all looks and tastes quite jammy (pardon the pun)
It is a bit sweet, so for Mark Two, there will be a sugar adjustment. But - delight! My garden has produced something which is edible! (And a gift for an unsuspecting friend - but that's another story).
