War Time Mincemeat for these hard times

 Mincemeat

1⁄2 – 3⁄4 lb. mixed dried fruit
4 oz. apples or 2 oz. dried apple rings 3-4 oz. sugar
2-4 oz. suet or melted margarine
2 level tablespoons marmalade

1⁄2 level teaspoon cinnamon

1 level teaspoon grated nutmeg

1⁄4 level teaspoon salt

4-6 tablespoons, rum, sherry, stout or ale

A few drops of rum essence - if stout or ale is used

1⁄2 level teaspoon mixed spice
Mince the fruit and apples or chop finely. Add the other ingredients and mix very

thoroughly. Put into small jars and tie down securely. Store in a cool dry place. If the larger quantities of fruit, sugar and fat are used, this should keep 12 months, but will not keep more than 10 days with the smaller amounts

Ministry of Food

Making the mincemeat in advance reduces the Christmas workload and enables smaller batches of mince pies to be easily made so they are always fresh. Apples can be stored for quite some time but it is quite tricky unless you have the right place to store and know how to look after them. Those lucky enough to have an apple tree in the garden, or access to one, would dry apple rings in a very low oven for winter use or as a treat for the children.

1⁄2 – 3⁄4 lb. mixed dried fruit
4 oz. apples or 2 oz. dried apple rings 3-4 oz. sugar
2-4 oz. suet or melted margarine
2 level tablespoons marmalade

John Harrison - Rationed Christmas

What to do in December!

 

I do like December for gardening, which is a bit strange considering there's not a much you can do outdoors in the short days.  December is the month for reflecting on what went on last year and what  you think is to come, preferably indoors and warm by a fire.  I do find that gardening brings me closer to the seasons, the rhythms of the year. Although this is the darkest month with the shortest day of the winter solstice and the cold winter months of January and February are still to come, it's very much the time of renewal and starting rather than ending. After the shortest-day solstice on the 21st the days will be getting lighter again, which means spring isn't that far away. After two years of pandemic,  you would of thought 2022 was going to be a much better year. However it didn’t  turn out that way, Putin’s criminal invasion of Ukraine to expand his empire and the economic disruption that’s caused has made it a tough year for most of us. It is thought that the average family could save over £1,000 a year from a full allotment or a large garden. Even a small plot can make a significant contribution to the budget.  If you add hens, you would get a few eggs as well, which are not easy to come by because of Bird Flu

My best Crop every time.

 My best Crop every time.

Without fail, my best crop is Blackberries ........by that I mean: easy to grow/.big harvest /no pest/eat every day of the year.

In the winter I prune them and feed them with a bit of farm yard manure

In the spring I mulch them with a few wheel-borrows of wood chips

In the summer I feed them with chicken pellets and start to harvest

I freeze them and when I have no space left,I bottle them

I have enough to eat every morning with my smoothy.

I never water them.

A real dream crop.