Time for a bit of graft…

So, its March already, and Spring seems to have usurped Winter from its icy throne, temporarily at least…Like me you may be quite sceptical that Winter has given up the ghost completely but it seems the plants and trees are willing to gamble on it. What this all means to the pragmatists here at Abundance HQ is that we need to buck up our ideas a little, stop hibernating and do some grafting….fruit tree grafting, that is!

 

If you’re interested in learning the art of fruit tree grafting, in identifying your rootstock from your scion, your M26 from your St Julian A and having a go at doing it yourself, then look no further.

 

We’ll be running a number of open workshops on how to graft apple, plum, and cherry trees using the ‘whip and tongue’ technique throughout March and into April. The workshops are FREE and you will get to take your own tree home with you if you help us graft some more – we’re aiming to graft around 600 trees this year!

 

 

What to bring:

> Graftwood: The apple of your eye! If you’ve always wanted to propagate a special apple, plum or cherry tree then nows your chance. Bring graftwood to a session and make some baby trees with it. If you’re unsure how to take cuttings from said tree, check out this youtube video.

> Warm clothes: We will probably be outside for the session (with shelter), so please anticipate a cold day.

> Something to eat and/or drink: If you’re coming for the whole day (which is ideal) you may want to bring a packed lunch.

Below are the dates for the workshops. If you’d like to attend any of them please book a place by emailing abundance@growsheffield.com or phoning 07984310412 so I have an idea of numbers, as places are limited. N.B. Session dates are subject to change – there may also be more added.

March

Saturday 8th, 10am – 4pm: Greave House Farm Volunteer Day.
For instructions on how to get to the farm you can look at their website here.

Wednesday 12th, 1pm – 5pm: Student EATS session, The Huerta (behind Yorkshire Artspace, Brown Street, S1)

 

Sunday 15th, 12pm – 5pm: Public session, venue TBC

Saturday 22nd, 11am – 5pm: Public session, venue TBC

Sunday 30th, 12pm – 5pm: Public session, Meersbrook Allotments

April

Saturday 5th, 11am – 5pm: Public session, Meersbrook Allotments

 

Any questions, email abundance@growsheffield.com

ABUNDANCE WEEK

It feels a bit like Christmas when you’re a kid – the anticipation builds up for what seems like forever, the day itself comes, is glorious, then passes in the blink of an eye; the harvest season is almost over and if you’ve been in the thick-of-it, like we at Grow Sheffield have then you’ll know what I’m talking about.

Alas, its the time of year again when we say farewell to the harvest….but not without a mighty good send-off!

Around here we call that send off ABUNDANCE WEEK and its happening from November 22nd to December 1st (a bit longer than a week in fact…). There’ll be all kinds of frolicking and frivolity to be had from artful-browsing to apple-chopping, from cider-making to ceilidh-dancing!

You can keep up-to-date with whats going on by checking our events page between now and the end of December.

Happy Harvests…2013

Can you spot yourself??

 

Chutney fun 2013

Some lovely photos from last year’s harvests…

See if you can spot yourself :-)

 

 

Abundance featured in Our Favourite Places

 

 

Sheffield Live 14.08

Communities Live Interview on Sheffield Live

Listen to Daniele and Stephen waffling on about Abundance and extolling the virtues of Sheffield cherries.

Wild and Free Fruit

Wild and Free Fruit

For anyone who’s interested in foraging their own locally growing fruit this is the map for you. This is a national map of identified public and wild fruit sources. We have just begun adding details of community garden sites in Sheffield. Hopefully the map will become a comprehensive resource for public fruit picking in Sheffield over time.

Stone the Crows!

So I don’t know if you’ve noticed but there are plenty of cherries around this year. They’re often easy to spot; deep purple-red blotches on the pavement next to scattered stones; vivid red, maroon, purple and black jewels dangling gracefully among smatterings of leaf green; or a broken branch, like that tree at the corner of Mount Pleasant park, that someone overzealously clambered to reach the juicy, tempting fruits. 

The majority of Sheffield’s cherries are preferred by the birds, or the jam-makers. Small, dark and slightly bitter. However, there are some real beauties on our sloping shores, that would satisfy the most sophisticated of cherried palates. Anyone walking down Attercliffe high street for the first time would never imagine the bountiful harvest awaiting them in the area’s cemetery. And what a bounty! Think of the tastiest, juciest, sweetest cherry you’ve ever eaten, then imagine picking and eating as many as your stomach can manage sat in the middle of a beautiful 100+ year old tree. Well, you dont have to keep imagining…

Lucy Lad’s Classic Cherry Cordial Recipe

500g de-stoned sour or sweet cherries

250g golden caster sugar

250ml water

Place the cherries into a saucepan with the caster sugar and water, bring the ingredients to boil.

Leave the mixture to simmer for 5 minutes until the cherries have started to soften, remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Place the mixture into a blender and blend until the liquid is smooth. 

Pour into sterilised jars/bottles. Refrigerate once opened. 

Use within 1 month.

The Abundance Network

Check out the (relatively) new Abundance Network website for information about harvesting groups throughout the country as well as for advice on various aspects of fruit growing and harvesting and fruity recipes. Here’s some useful advice on how to look after your new fruit trees during the Springtime.