Harvest Festival is this weekend in most places and with it summer truly draws to a close and October takes its hold. For many years I have always made sure I spend an hour or two at this time of the year picking apples, pears, sloes and damsons; it is a special time of the year when the seasons come together. The country process of picking, storing and creating has not changed in generations. Then the wonderful process of jam making and gin making begins. It is now a truism that few Hexham constituency event takes place without me providing a bottle of home made jam or damson gin. The gin seems to go down particularly well at raffles, shows and events! Mine is not as good as many but it is not bad. I have yet to enter a local show incognito but may well do so next year after a bumper crop of damsons in particular.
This year the fruit is late after such a wet spring and it is only this week that British apples have hit our shelves. Enjoy the season of mellow fruitfulness.
