Lack of Sloes

[A-daisy-a-day]

I don't know if I'm on the right area for this post, but I saw this threadt on your site from last year, so joined, I was out walking this morning and checked on the condition of the Blackthorn to see how the berries were doing, and although there were plenty of flowers and then lots of little nubs from them, I counted about a dozen berries in a 50 yard stretch of thick bushes, it was the same last year, though the previous year there were lots, Does anyone have any theories on this, I wonder if the lack of bees, therefore sparse pollination could be something to do with it.
Looks like no Sloe Gin this year

[Adam Cheeseman]

Our blackthorn trees are heaving with fruit. I can see I'm going to have to get more gin in!

Cheers,

Adam

[m1.carson]

Hi,

I'd think you were much too early for sloes, they say don't pick them till they've had a frost, as in this coming winter.

But after saying that, sloes in general seem to be very very patchy, miles of hedgerow and nothing, then round the next corner a wall of blue.

Had to buy some the year before last from a farmers market.

Never mind the gin, put raspberries in that [the ladies say "ooh that's a bit too sweet, can I have another please !"], make a sloe scotch instead it's great.

Max.

[The Woodman]

I think A Daisy a Day was refering to the state of the set fruit rather than the final crop.

Late frosts can damage the fertilized flowers and in common with most fruiting trees, there will be a "mast" year, when cropping is really heavy, around every four years. Mast years can vary regionally too, so that when bumper crops occur say, in the SW, northern crops are poor.

There has been a noticeable lack of honey bees in particular in Cumbria to date, lets hope this current glorious weather brings the pollinators out now.

[pammosley]

Hi, I commented last year on the lack of sloes in our area, I`ve yet to check this year, hope there are plenty I made plum liqueur last year with bought plums Not so nice as Sloe gin . I will post on how our areas shaping up as soon as I know.

[Tormentil]

Mmm, Sloes down, eh ??

[tcvarlh]

I haven't looked this year at 'my' blackthorns up on Longdales and along Icknield but if the last 4 years are anything to go by I should be ok for drinkies. Ny worry is the two walnuts nearby, they look ill, leaf drop and what seems to be blight. How will I ever get thru Winter with no Nuss-schnaps? And what will I do if my two lovely trees die?

[The Woodman]

Sloe joke day?

"And what will I do if my two lovely trees die"

Get some planted soon!

Used to drink some home brew in France made from Walnut leaves called Frenetre.

[Tormentil]

If I see a bush laden with them, I'll do a little jig .......... wait for it ..........

Sloe, sloe, quick quick, sloe.

[tcvarlh]

Originally Posted by The Woodman

Used to drink some home brew in France made from Walnut leaves called Frenetre.

A Recipe for Walnut Leaves Wine:

Ingredients
1 lb air-dried walnut leaflets, color intact (from shade drying)
750 ml of brandy
2 standard-size 750 ml bottles of red wine of your choice
1/2 lb granulated sugar

Procedure
Hand-crumble the walnut leaflets after tearing or snipping them off from the stems on the walnut leaf. Pour the brandy over the leaflets and stir gently for several minutes. Add sugar. Add the wine and give a gentle stir for a minute or two. Cover the container and store in the shade for 6-8 weeks, stirring once or twice a week. Finally, filter the mixture, with a cheese cloth first, followed by a paper coffee filter, and then bottle. Drink immediately (or age????)
Forgotten what we call it but it's no' so bad!

Or if you are a purist :
WALNUT LEAF WINE
1 pint walnut leaves
2-1/2 pounds demerara sugar
1 lb honey
1 tsp acid blend (Zitronsauere) (Citric acid powder?)
1 tsp yeast nutrient
7 pts water
Montrachet wine yeast

Put the water on to boil and stir the sugar and honey into it until dissolved. When boiling, remove from heat and skim scum off surface. Put leaves in primary vessel and pour water over leaves. Cover primary and set aside 24 hours. Strain leaves from water and stir in acid blend and yeast nutrient until dissolved. Add activated yeast. When active ferment dies down (5-7 days), transfer to secondary vessel and fit airlock. Put in warm place until fermentation completely stops. Rack into santitized secondary, top up and refit airlock. Move to a cold place for six months, checking airlock occasionally. Rack into bottles and age additional six months

Prosit Zum Wohl!
H