2012 - THE WEATHER

In 2012, there was warm weather at the end of Feb/early March, followed by some late frosts and 3 cool wet months. This had a big impact on the harvest. 

Impact of the weather

• Bees can’t get out when it’s wet – so honey production started very late  and pollination rates were poor and patchy. 
• Some trees produced no fruit at all. Trees blossoming in drier spells were pollinated and produced a reasonable crop


• Heavy rain knocked off and damaged young fruits

 
• Some fruit went mouldy on the trees
• Later ripening 

So we have to be more imaginative

Making something from ... not very much
by Harriet     

 1 bag of split/damaged pears fallen from a 40ft pear tree 
+ 2 or 3 apples from a back alley in Motspur Park 
+ a disappointing picking of damsons from Mitcham Common 
+ surviving fruit from a blighted tomato plant 
+ 4oz of dried dates + 8oz of brown sugar + assorted spices 
+ melted wax from 3 candles + 1940s cast-iron long-arm mincing machine 
+ 1 ancient recipe book 
+ 1 sunny afternoon spent chopping, peeling and mincing

=  6 sealed jars of mixed-fruit chutney!