Plum crazy?

[purpletigron]

There is a plum tree in the hedge between N's house and that of her late neighbour. Whilst the house is being cleared and sold, the granddaughter has given N permission to continue tending the garden, including harvesting any edibles. We think the small, ovoid purple-blue plums are of the Rivers variety (see the picture at the bottom of http://www.destiny.to/orchard/). Within an hour, we managed to collect about 8 kg of good fruit yesterday morning, and we spent the rest of the day processing it! We have made about 3 kg of jam, 1 l of syrup, and are experimenting: with drying about 1 kg of plums in the conservatory; with brining about 0.5 kg, and with sweet pickling another 0.5 kg, both in Kilner jars in the larder. Oh, and we poached about 1 kg with dark brown muscavado sugar, and spices, to make into a crumble.

This is what I call good fun - an economical hobby, which results in food :-)