We only have 1 blackcurrant bush now. When we moved here there were 8 but they were really old and not producing much so a few years back we replaced them with gooseberry bushes because we knew we could sell the gooseberries and, despite the prickles, gooseberries are easier to pick than fiddly black currants. A seedling currant was growing in the fruit cage so I potted it up and when it was big enough planted it out. I thought it was a redcurrant because that was what we had growing there but it turned out to be a blackcurrant. It's given enough this year to make a few pounds of jam.
Then yesterday I made Apricot jam, 9 jars of various sizes. The wasps have started to damage the apricots so rapid processing is needed. More have been put in the freezer.
In the cupboard we now have apricot jam, blackcurrant jam, green gooseberry jam, red gooseberry jam, strawberry and gooseberry jam, strawberry jam, marrow and ginger jam and mixed fruit jam. Enough choice there I think.
Although later in the year, if I wanted too, I could make plum, damson, greengage and any combination of apple and something that you can think of. But not raspberry - too seedy. And not fig - they will be all mine -fresh and delicious!
Back soon, library day tomorrow - where did 4 weeks go?
Sue