Not just Jam and Jerusalem!

This lockdown period has seen many more of us growing our own produce at home or creating a fantastic display of vegetables, fruit and flowers in the village Allotments. We have also been blessed with some fantastic sunshine to help it all along.

We are not natural gardeners at our house, but with seed/plant swaps happening plus extras available from several stalls provided by expert gardeners in the village, we have increased our range of produce from the usual four (strawberries, courgettes, onions and runner beans) to a total of 10 with orange beetroot, red lettuces, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and french beans.

Much of this has been enjoyed as soon as picked and some put away in the freezer to enjoy over the coming months.

However this week was my annual Chutney making session. Courgettes and apples (from a family garden) had been frozen ready prepared and many many onions harvested and dried awaiting in the garage.

Many tears shed as the white onions were chopped, but eventually it bubbled away in 2 cauldrons to become 18 various sized jars named "Brookfield Harvest". 

Then onto the Caramelised Red Onion Chutney. How so much onion, sugar and vinegars can become 4 small pots is beyond me! I decided to use up all my stash and make a second batch the next day. Somehow it became just the right consistency and with a little chilli flake included, the initial taste test was just fantastic. I can just imagine it with goat's cheese! 

We now need to be patient and leave it all for a month or more, then decide how much we can bear to give away in christmas hampers.
Next spring we may be even more adventurous and try some new varieties.

So the new catchphrase for Leigh on Mendip WI is now
"Not just Jam and Jerusalem, but Chutneys too".

Several other members have also beavered away making marmalade or various preserves from garden fruits.

Now as the last of my sweet peas are picked, begonias still thriving but a few other plants battered by the heavy rain this week, it seems to be time to tidy over the vegetable plot, clear out some patio pots and plant in a little winter colour. 

Now time to relax and watch the winter garden evolve from the warmth of the patio windows.