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2010 Sloe Berry harvest report

Posted: 13:20 Wed 22 Sep 2010
by angeleyes
A recent trip of four of us to Pollard's Hill, Norbury, London S.W. realised a harvest of 32lb of sloe berries - a record harvest (last year's was half that amount I believe). They were perhaps picked slightly early in the season as many were barely ripe; however ripe berries were still plentiful. It was interesting to note the different varieties of blackthorn bushes by the way the berries grew. Some grew individually along the branches and others grew in bunches, like grapes.

After a few hours of washing, sorting and de-leafing the berries into 1lb bags, they were placed in the freezer. We rewarded ourselves by drinking a bottle of last year's Sloe Gin (very good). A large quantity of gin, sugar and spare bottles now require procurement for the next stage.

Re: 2010 Sloe Berry harvest report

Posted: 22:51 Sun 24 Oct 2010
by JacobH
Picking sloes before the first frost?!? :wink:

I’m still yet to find somewhere good to pick them that is nearish to Hackney (or N.E. London in general). I suppose I ought to figure somewhere out before I have to buy them again this year... :(

Re: 2010 Sloe Berry harvest report

Posted: 23:49 Sun 24 Oct 2010
by DRT
When does the Bunberry season start?

Re: 2010 Sloe Berry harvest report

Posted: 22:15 Mon 25 Oct 2010
by JacobH
I believe it depends on where it is grown. I think notably later in the states than over here... Any signs of them up North?

Re: 2010 Sloe Berry harvest report

Posted: 22:27 Mon 25 Oct 2010
by DRT
Not yet. They don't ripen until after the haggis have gone into hibernation, usually in mid November.

Re: 2010 Sloe Berry harvest report

Posted: 23:11 Mon 25 Oct 2010
by Alex Bridgeman
DRT wrote:When does the Bunberry season start?
I thought it depended on whether they were country or city grown bunberries.

Re: 2010 Sloe Berry harvest report

Posted: 13:03 Tue 04 Jan 2011
by JacobH
I've been enjoying some fantastic damson gin recently. Perhaps a touch on the sweet-side (I need to dilute it with equal parts of soda), it reminds me of Japanese Umeshu in taste and is a striking luminous purple in the glass.

Re: 2010 Sloe Berry harvest report

Posted: 17:21 Sun 13 Oct 2013
by darlingfrog
Hi angeleyes,

whereabouts in Pollard's Hill did you find the sloes? I'm trying to find large quantities to make sloe gin for a friend's wedding in July & finding it tough going in SW London!
Otherwise JacobH where did you manage to buy sloes?
so many thanks