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Harvesting Rhubarb and Growing Peach Trees

16 Jul

Harvesting Rhubarb for the second time this year.

The first crop was back in the middle of Spring.

When that crop was picked, I manured the beds and allowed it to go on to develop a second flush.

Once washed and chopped I lightly stew the rhubarb, then cool it and pack it into bags for the freezer.

The Spring crop was made into delicious jam!

One of my favourite winter puddings is simple stewed Rhubarb topped with toasted oats and demerara sugar, mixed with some chopped nuts…mmm!

I lightly toast the oats in a big cast iron pan with the sugar and nuts.

It takes minutes and tastes divine topped with Soya cream!

Oops…the pics are mixed up!

Lots of good stuff for the growing compost heap.

You’re right!

I had no intention of waiting until winter for this treat!

Taking the compost over to the heap, passing the Nasturtiums on the way…lack of sun doesn’t appear to bother them at all!

Just to share with you the progress of one of the little Peach Trees, grown from seed here at Bealtaine Cottage…a real Irish Peach tree…and very strong indeed!

And as I return from the compost heap, I spotted the Spirea  in blossom in the hedge.

This is a mixed hedge planted with cuttings and home-grown plants about five years ago.

It is in the Orchard, so all the shrubs are flowering and Bee-friendly.

P.S. You may have noticed the name change at the top of the page. Well, I thought it best to make it a simple “Bealtaine Cottage,” for this is where it’s all happening…

Making Elderflower Cordial…Summer in a Bottle!

18 Jun

The Summer harvest has begun in time for the Solstice…Elderflowers are in abundance and the making of Elderflower Cordial captures the energy of the summer solstice in a bottle of sweety goodness!

30 heads of flowers, 4 lemons, boiled spring water, sugar and citric acid to preserve the cordial well into the dark days of midwinter.

It’s a very simple process.

First boil the one and half litres of water you will use, then stir this onto the 1 kilo of sugar and leave to cool.

Then grate the lemons and slice into thick slices.

Add all to the cooled sugar water, along with the Elderflowers.

Stir well.

Add 50g of citric acid and stir again.

Cover and leave to infuse for 48 hours or so, then strain through muslin and bottle in sterilized glass bottles.

Mmmmm….

Any leftover flowers can be dried in a cool oven and kept in a clean glass jar for making Elderflower tea with during the winter…

This makes a delicious, organic tea!

I love the abundance of summer…

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