Foraging for damsons

A few weeks ao we foraged for Damson plums. These are tiny little fruits similar looking to a sloe but when ripe taste like a plum.

At the bottom of Richard’s garden, he has what is left of an old cottage orchard. The only real fruit trees that have survived the overgrownness are Damson Plums. We have no idea of the variety but what we do know in previous years this has made the most delicious jam, that’s if we manage to get to the fruit before the ponies do!

When we took a look at the tree in mid august, the fruit was still really tart and underripe, so we decided to leave it a little longer to ripen. I think we left it way too long as when we got to the tree in the begin of September, a lot of the fruit had fallen to the floor from the really bad wind we have had and some of what was left on the tree and had become way too soft to use for anything. But after picking for a while and saving a half-broken tree, we ended up with 3 kilos of fruit and wondering what to do with it.

I gave the fruit a wash and put straight in the freezer as we have learnt in the past, they don’t last long once picked. A few years ago we lost an entire harvest to mould in just one day. If anyone can think of any recipes, let us know!