A bit of a pickle, a bit of a jam

During September we've been getting jiggy with the art of home preserving. We don't actually have any fruit trees on our allotment, but we are lucky enough to have a few on the communal land immediately above us.

The plum trees have produced a glut this year - like everywhere it seems - so I've made a few litres of plum chutney (some of which is boiling away in the pan above). The nice thing is this has turned into a communal effort. My colleague who sits next to me at work has an apple tree in the garden. His apples have made a few kilos of apple chutney. He's given me some apple wine (not the best) in exchange for some of the chutney. Downstairs sits another man who has a bottle of his home made cider with my name on it.

The AllotmentBoss's Boss has got in on the act, too. She's been taking (after asking) elderberries from trees in the neighbourhood and using them to make jam and cordial. All good, scrumptious, seasonal stuff.