tiff
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So annoyingSeeing trees laden with fruit, going to waste in people's gardens. Including my next door neighbours pear tree.
Really wish I could knock on the door and ask but I wouldnt dare lol
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sean
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Why not? Ask nicely and offer them some of whatever you make. We get loads of fruit from other people.
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tahir
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Re: So annoying | tiff wrote: | | Really wish I could knock on the door and ask but I wouldnt dare lol |
Why not? We used to pick our next doors' apples, she was well chuffed, liked the contact and appreciated some fruit too.
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jocorless
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Why not ? The worse thing they can do is say no and think you are a nutter!
We've got loads of fruit from people who don't want to make use of what they've got growing in their gardens - I've 5 gallons of Cider fermenting in my conservatory to prove it
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Fee
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Get round there, tiff! You might feel embarrassed, but offer some of the produce you plan to make, and it could be a nice permanent arrangement. I mean, if they're not being used!!
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hamster
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My neighbours have an apple tree which I gaze longingly at every time I'm washing up. Like you, I haven't had the confidence to ask them for any, though I know I should...
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tiff
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I've asked on freecycle several times and received plums, apples and green tomatoes in small amounts. Just feel cheeky when its my neighbour, I'm quite shy though. Might get the OH to do it lol
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Fee
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 That sounds like an even better plan!
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Fee
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| tiff wrote: | | I've asked on freecycle several times and received plums, apples and green tomatoes in small amounts. |
You've just spurred me on, I've just put a 'wanted - unwanted fruit' type message on my local freecycle up 
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cinders
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My sister has told me to help myself to as many cooking apples as i like of her tree
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NannyP
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You'd be very welcome to come round here and pick up the thousands of chestnuts from my garden. I have already picked up 7 wheelbarrow loads.....I no more nned to do the rest.
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tiff
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Anyone asked a nursing home before? There are quite a few trees in the grounds of a nursing home, i think its council owned. Doesnt look like any have been picked at all, and the ground is littered too. Nooo, I'm too shy, people give you a funny look and find it quite amusing which then makes you feel like a weirdo.
Can you tell I worry too much lol
Thanks Nannyp, would have taken you up on that if I was in the area
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Fee
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| tiff wrote: | | people give you a funny look and find it quite amusing which then makes you feel like a weirdo. |
Embrace it! Who wants to be normal anyway?
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jocorless
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| tiff wrote: | Anyone asked a nursing home before? There are quite a few trees in the grounds of a nursing home, i think its council owned. Doesnt look like any have been picked at all, and the ground is littered too. Nooo, I'm too shy, people give you a funny look and find it quite amusing which then makes you feel like a weirdo.
Can you tell I worry too much lol
Thanks Nannyp, would have taken you up on that if I was in the area |
Yes - I've asked a nursing home and they were lovely and let me pick loads of apples - The old dears thought it was so nice to see someone making things out of the fruit and I took in some chutney and crab apple jelly to say thank you
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jocorless
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| Fee wrote: | | tiff wrote: | | I've asked on freecycle several times and received plums, apples and green tomatoes in small amounts. |
You've just spurred me on, I've just put a 'wanted - unwanted fruit' type message on my local freecycle up |
Think I'll do that as well - Good idea Fee
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tiff
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hey, just not on the Bristol group girls lol
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Fee
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Nope  Surrey Heath one for me!
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Barefoot Andrew
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I just managed to drop my part-eaten apple. It rolled down my T-shirt, and then onto the carpet... picking up a bit of fluff or two whilst it was about it.  This was followed by a brief curse, and then some hair-picking
A.
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cinders
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| Barefoot Andrew wrote: | I just managed to drop my part-eaten apple. It rolled down my T-shirt, and then onto the carpet... picking up a bit of fluff or two whilst it was about it. This was followed by a brief curse, and then some hair-picking
A. |
all in all a good forage
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hedgewitch
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| Eco wrote: | | Barefoot Andrew wrote: | I just managed to drop my part-eaten apple. It rolled down my T-shirt, and then onto the carpet... picking up a bit of fluff or two whilst it was about it. This was followed by a brief curse, and then some hair-picking
A. |
all in all a good forage |
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Cho-ku-ri
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The birds, worms and bacteria will enjoy them if left, but I know what you mean. I spent last evening helping my wife make apple chutney from her parent's trees.
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lottie
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Sometimes people think apples are "going to waste" when they're not if there a variety that you pick late[ie Winston]
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PeteS
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In the UK I find that the attitude to foraging is weird. However, in many parts of Europe you are weird if you don’t forage. For example, in France just about every man, woman and child picks wild mushrooms. You can even take your haul to the local pharmacist for identification as they are all trained in mycology. Not saying that this is a good thing, but it is a very different attitude. In the UK I find the older generation a bit better – while foraging I have often been asked by older people what I am picking etc. and they seem genuinely interested. Other (often young) people just walk by and give me an odd look. More than once while mushroom picking I have had people ask: “are those magic mushrooms?” One guy went off with a very disappointed look when I told him: “no, but they are excellent to eat”.
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PeteS
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| lottie wrote: | | Sometimes people think apples are "going to waste" when they're not if there a variety that you pick late[ie Winston] |
For crab apples I just wait for the windfalls, they are fine for jelly/jams and it saves having to reach up and pick at the tree.
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dougal
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Re: So annoying | tiff wrote: | Seeing trees laden with fruit, going to waste in people's gardens. Including my next door neighbours pear tree.
Really wish I could knock on the door and ask but I wouldnt dare lol |
Say hello, ask if they are planning to pick them, explain that you (non-commercially) make preserves, would they let you pick *some* and would they like some of the resulting chutney/whatever... ?
They might even be glad of your help in tidying the garden.
Talk to them.
Let the subject come up in the conversation.
No harm will come.
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tiff
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Sounds so simple when you put it like that Dougal. I will give it a go next week as its on the school run.
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tiff
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and I asked again on Freecycle and have been offered as much quince as I want from a tree in exchange for some jam. I dont mind, gives me practice in making jam (only made it twice so far).
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gil
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| tiff wrote: | | and I asked again on Freecycle and have been offered as much quince as I want from a tree in exchange for some jam. I dont mind, gives me practice in making jam (only made it twice so far). |
You could try making both jam and jelly (i've only ever done the jelly, reputed to be very good for invalid digestions). You'll have no trouble setting either - quince sets very well, very quickly ! (see the intro to jam and jelly-making article, and the preserving wild fruits article in the articles section)
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dpack
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ask
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bingo
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I hate that Pete, when I tell people I pick mushrooms. It's always "What Magic ones?" Then a laugh, as if they were the first person to ever say it to me.
It's not funny, I just want to stop talking to them from there on.
Yes, I've taken mushooms but I can't think of anything I would least rather put into my body these days.
Well saying that, I would want to drink that Sunny Delight stuff ever again.......it was horrible. 
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Fee
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Going apple and pear picking in somebody's garden over the weekend, they just replied to my freecycle wanted message
How cool
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tiff
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Nice one Fee.
Anyone in Chepstow or South Wales? Just been offered a load of pears and cider apples, but too far away from me in Bristol, unfortunately.
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