Jam and Sparrow Hawks

Hello Everyone,

How are you all doing? Well, we hope.

This week I have been making jam. Bob and I harvested all the blueberries and some of the raspberries. As we are organic, pectin is not allowed as an ingredient in our jam. This week, our organic jams have been made within an hour of harvesting and the taste seems to confirm this. My Chief Taster i.e. Bob, says the blueberry is his favourite and is, quote, “sensational”. He now thinks that jam should be with every meal, particularly blueberry jam with vanilla ice cream (I do agree with him on the blueberry jam, the raspberry jam is a delight poured over meringue and me thinks that we will have pancakes on Sunday and try all three!).

We have also been harvesting some of our apples from the Orchard. So far we have one hundred and eighty kilos and still soooo many more to pick! It really is astounding how many apples our trees have produced this year. Our ‘Orchard Apples’ are now ready for sale and we will also have our ‘Orchard Apple Juice’ for sale next week.

On Monday afternoon, around four, Bob and I popped in the house for a coffee. Bob had been in the Pond Field working and I had been in the polytunnels. As we got in the house, got our coffee and just about to sit down when we saw a female sparrow hawk on the gate leading into the Green Field. Spectacular sight. She just sat and looked. We just sat and looked and took a few photos and looked a little more. My photos do not do her justice as in real life she looks enormous and the pictures make her seem smallish. Bob did take a fab photo of the hawk taking off. A great sight.

Jesmond Food Market is on Armstrong Bridge this Saturday. The weather is looking good and we are hoping for a good turn out, it usually is at this market.

Have a great week.

Ann