So many sloes

[conker]

I've never before seen as many sloes as right now here in Suffolk. Plump and healthy ones. How about elsewhere in the country?
I know it's a bit early to pick-first frost and all-but it is tempting...Other than gin though what can be done with them?

[Hedgehogpie]

We're having a bumper year down here in Kent too. There are a lot of things (other than sloe gin) that can be done with them, have a look on the Sloebiz forum for inspiration: http://www.sloe.biz/pip/index.php

[conker]

Many thanks.

[Shirley]

Must try and find some in manchester area!

[Loobyloo]

There's loads in somerset as well, although a lot seem to be annoyingly inaccessable.

Any tips on how to harvest them from high up in the hedgrows and overhanging the lane?

[Hedgehogpie]

Depends how high!

At this time of year I always carry a long crooked foraging stick cut from a chestnut branch (think of something like a shepherd's crook and you'd be close). I'm 5'9" & it's nearly as tall again so it gives me plenty of extra reach and with care can be used to pull branches down so that stuff can be harvested. It can be a bit fiddly to pick and hold the stick/branch though, so two people working together can make this easier if you're really stretching. A little light shaking works too but I don't like to bruise the fruit and would rather pick carefully than waste the resource.

Do be careful not to damage the tree. I find that all of the plum family have very fragile branches that will break easily under pressure.

[Loobyloo]

Thanks Hedgehogpie!

I think that is the only way forward! I also need to try and drag my other half along with me (I'm 5'4'' he's 6'3''!!!) but he's working away a lot at the mo so its tippy toes for me!

How early can I start harvesting sloes? I'm getting impatient! (unemployed at the mo and preserving is the highlight of my month!)

[Hedgehogpie]

Having a chap of 6'3" to lend a hand will give you a distinct advantage!

'When' is a bit of a moot point to be honest. Old school foragers will say after the first frost, but these days frosts aren't what they used to be and waiting that long could mean you stand by while the birds eat your planned crop or it shrivels on the branch. Another point is what you plan to do with them. If it's Gin you're after I'd be tempted to let them stay a little longer before you go for it. The more sun they get the better although they'll never ripen to anything like sweetness. Some folks cheat and pop them into the freezer before putting them into gin and claim this saves time on the slightly time consuming pricking of the skins that tradition demands. For stuff like jams/sauces/cordials where you're going to be cooking them & adding sugar in larger quantities you may well get away with earlier pickings.

Apart from all that, to judge how they're getting on it could be worth giving your fruits a little bit of a squeeze. If they are really fat and fleshy with a little bit of 'give' when you pinch, you may get away with taking them and making a start. If they still feel like bullets then I'd leave them be. Fergus Drennan (wild man wild food) has come up with an interesting suggestion for preserving sloes which makes them into something akin to olives. This requires salting and then putting them into seasoned oil - although I don't know the exact details it's very intriguing and he reports that they're pretty good!

[Millymollymandy]

Wow that's interesting about the sloe olives - in summer all veggies on my plate are home grown except for olives (fat chance in Brittany ) but there are plenty of sloes around!

[Hedgehogpie]

I'm curious about them too, Fergus came up with the idea because he's been spending a year trying to eat only 100% wild or foraged foods (you should read his blog pages, they're amazing!).

I think I'll have to gather some do a little experiment of my own.

Here's a little linky to Fergus's website: http://www.wildmanwildfood.com/index.html