Blackberries, Blackberries, Blackberries

They are everywhere! We have a particularly good picking spot only a few minutes walk from our house and this week we have been over every day. I honestly think if we had an army of people working over there we would still keep picking all day, they are ripening quicker than we can pick them.

I took our two apprentice pickers out on Saturday Little Me and his friend Alfie. Alfie took picking in his stride, but Little Me had enough and decided to read his Thomas magazines in the bushes instead!

Where are your favourite picking spots? We are having a competition at the moment. Tell us your best spots in Brentwood and Billericay and we will enter your name into a draw to win 12 months supply of jams and chutneys (1 jar a month). The draw is picked in October so send us your entries by leaving a comment below.

Whats cooking?

Sorry we havn't blogged for so long. We have no excuses but hope you dont mind!

This week we have been cooking up a storm in the 'Me' kitchen making Strawberry and Greengage jam.

As you can see we have a rigourous testing system in place. The jam is popped on a cool plate to see if it is set and then given the quality taste test by my chief taster Little Me.

If it passes (which it usually does) a dollop is placed on a slice of bread and Little Me is dispatched to the table while I pot it all up.

Photos to follow soon of the finished products!

It's Market day

We will be at Ingrave Community Market again this Sunday 6th June from 9.30am - 12.30pm. The market takes place at the Knights Way Centre, Knights Way, Brentwood, CM13 2AZ and is a great place to come and buy your organically produced meat and veg, our lovely jams and chutneys, cakes, plants and wonderful crafts.

This month we have been raiding the freezers due to the lack of available wild fruit so have some interesting fruit mix jams for you to try. Why not put them in a pie instead of on your toast for something a bit different?

We have on sale this Sunday:

Apple & Blackberry jam
Victoria Plum & Apple jam
Ginger and Marrow Chutney
Orange Marmalade
Strawberry jam
Red Onion marmalade

Do pop along and see us and remember if you have any fruit or veg, fresh or frozen that you cant use, we will swap it with you for a jar of produce.

Market day tomorrow

We are back at Ingrave Community Market tomorrow.

Do pop along and see us, we have some lovely stock all packed in the car and ready to go:

Red Onion Marmalade
Marrow & Ginger Chutney
Blackcurrant Jam
Prune Chutney
Apple Tarts

The market runs from 9.30am - 12.30pm in the Knights Way Centre, Brentwood, CM13 2AZ