Wild Plums!

[Mini Horses]

I bet George & Chuck loved all the jams, jellies, etc. I know you like the free fruit! I sure would. I offer fig preserves to gal I get figs from but, they just don't care for figs. They will eat the blackberry I make from the wild ones. Nice trade. Oh, gave them peach & some nectarine preserves, also. Fruits & sugar all leftover from demos. Almost like a neighbor giving you theirs Like to make it, just don't eat a lot of it. Rarely make toast.

I wonder if other states' forestry dept has similar options

Hmm, I will check with the VA division next week. I'd love a couple things but not 25 -- For some I could buy a nice specimen for not much more, ready to produce sooner. But, if free....I'm in. So, you could get those 25, pot up 22 of them and sell in a year for $5-10 each and come out ok. Just "nursery stock" A little side money. I love hazelnuts.

Had a small persimmon tree when I moved here, on the bank along the driveway to back of farm. Scraggly thing and I never paid it any mind. Then, one year it bore fruit. Nice. Next year man who farmed land behind me, cut it down as he "cleared the sides so his tractor could get through". I explained that was MY land, he was trespassing and I didn't give a rats butt if he EVER got through. Stay off. Don't cut or spray my land!! Raised cain a few more times and he wasn't seen after. Another guy farms it now, we have no issues and an understanding.

 

[Britesea]

Wow, I can't believe he thought he could do that! He didn't even ask first? That is both trespassing AND property damage, both actionable offenses.

 

[baymule]

Wow, I stared this thread in 2016 and it's 2021! There were NO wild plums last year, a late frost got all the blooms. But this year there are plenty of wild plums. There are only two places we have wild plums to pick from now, the rest have been destroyed. We pick from the few trees in the fencerow across the road from us, the owners of the property have retired and live there now. We only pick from the road, no going through the fence and trespassing. I'm thinking that we will take them a couple of jars of jam. We don't really know them and it will be a good way to get better acquainted. LOL

We have also been picking on George's trees, he will get his share of jam too. We don't have as many plums as in years past, due to the destruction of the trees. Sad. People just don't value wild food. For one thing, they aren't going to get out there and gather it, then process it. Buying industrial food at the grocery store is so much easier.

So today I'll be making wild plum jam. I have 2 half gallon jars and a quart jar, plus the plums we picked yesterday that I need to cook, strain and mash to get all the pulp out that I can. The pigs get the left over pulp and seeds. I can hear them crunching the seeds with delight at their treat.

A couple of years ago, I got some suckers off a neighbor's plum tree, one survived. I have it caged off to keep the sheep from eating it when they are in the yard. It's about 4 feet tall now.

I'll go do chores, then get to cooking on some plum jam. I'll post pictures!

 

[henless]

I love wild plum jelly/jam! Haven't made any in a long time.

 

[baymule]

I got side tracked slaughtering 23 Cornish Cross chickens,cutting them up and vacuum sealing them. In the freezer now, can finally finish up the wild plum jam.

I just did 3 batches of 5 pint jars each. After what I’ve been doing lately, it feels like a day off! The front jars are dark red, as they cool, the color will lighten up a little. Tha quart jars in the back are chicken backs, parts and pieces that I canned for the dogs.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

SCORE!

 

[MoonShadows]

Yum, yum. I just love plums.

 

[Mini Horses]

They look so good. Yum.

Weather destroyed my entire tree of plums this year.

 

[baymule]

Finally made jelly today. We have been picking and I've been cooking them down and straining out the juice. Got two quarts of juice and made 7 pints of jelly today. WOW! that stuff is good!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

yum!