Apples, Apples Apples

This year has been a bumper year for apples, over most of the country the apple harvest is rolling in.  Here the weight of the apples on the oldest tree has been too much for it and the main trunk has snapped.  Peering inside we can see how dry and brittle it has become and there really is no salvaging the poor old girl, she has however gone out on a high. 

As it is close to our landlords posh office building behind the veggie patch we are having to have it carefully removed so that any remaining falling wood does not go crashing through the large walls of glass (who in their right mind builds such a structure so close to an old tree, there is plenty of room for the building elsewhere, but hey ho that was his decision).  We have a tree surgeon calling tonight to give our landlord a quote for a different job ... yes he also erected that lovely Wendy House under a slanted tree which is now leaning on the roof of said very expensive Wendy House, so we are going to ask him to carefully chop down the old apple tree and cut the branches into lengths we can take with us to Wales.

We took a trailer load of wood down with us last weekend that is usable now but this apple wood will give us a head start for next year and will make wonderfully smelling firewood for log burner.

Off course the apples off the tree are being used to very good effect.  Last year Lovely Hubby commandeered virtually all the apples for his Apple Juice and Cider, which we still have lots of sitting in dark corners all around the place.  This year it is mine, all mine and I have been happily stewing and crumble making.

Neatly labelled and ready to travel, this should see us through the dark days of Winter, well these and the next twelve bottles that I am about to make.  I have decided to bottle this year instead of freezing any more as we really do need to get the chest freezer emptied ready for the main move.

And my Top Tip #15

When moving house, fill containers up.  If you are moving them anyway they might as well be full.

Jars - full of food.

Plastic Containers - nestled inside each other in decreasing sizes.

Tins - full of biscuits or packets of biscuits ... or cakes ready for those first few well deserved coffee breaks

In fact anything that is hollow think ...  can I fill it?  You usually can, space is space and the more you save the less you need.  If the  bread bin is empty fill it with carefully wrapped things from the kitchen, tip packets of dried foods into any spare glass jars you are taking with you.  Everything helps.

I usually even wash out the kitchen bin, put a fresh liner in and then into that goes all the things you will need on arrival at your new place.  The tea, coffee and sugar, a packet of biscuits, enough cups for one each and the all important electric kettle.  On arrival you set up the brewing up area and you have the bin to hand for all the little bits that normally accumulate as you begin the mammoth unpacking session.

Luckily I even kept the box my jars came in, so everything is safely stored and will be taken this week.

Sue xx