gil
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This afternoon's forageFinally got the car going, so after getting it new bits and bobs in town, managed to do a bit of picking, in late sun and a cold wind:
1lb rosehips well-bletted by frost
12lb crab apples
3.5oz rather sorry-looking blackberries
Tomorrow will be feral quinces and more crabapples.
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Wingy
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You've had frost already?  Haven't seen any in the East Neuk as yet. What are you going to do with your rosehips? I've always fancied making some syrup but can't be bothered with all those little hairs inside. Terrific haul of crab apples. Well done - bet your arms are aching now though.
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cinders
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some apples to gather this weekend.Made hawthorn and rosehip syrup.Dried hawthorn and blackberry leaves for teas which syrup will be handy for 
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tiff
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Why cant I ever seem to find crab apples in accessible places? Seen plenty by busy roadsides but none in quieter places. Found one solitary tree with few fruit in an overgrown cemetery.
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gil
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Been frost here the last couple of mornings, and quite hard last week. There was also a slight frost one morning about 3-4 weeks ago (i.e. late August), which isn't unusual for this valley; it has a microclimate all its own. Basically, we tend to get the same kind of weather as the 'some highland glens' Radio Scotland often refer to on their forecasts. This may be the Southern Uplands, but it can be harsh.
Rosehips will be used for wine, or syrup/jelly (for use diluted as a hot drink or poured over ice cream/ custard). They're a lot sweeter when bletted. You don't need to get the insides out if making jelly, just top and tail. Strain through old pillowcase, and all the hairy itchy stuff is left behind. For a rosehip jelly that sets, include a few crab apples in the mix.
The 12lb crab apples are just the start. I'll be needing about120lb for this year's wine. Ho hum, 10% done. Didn't take that long - the trees are covered in fruit, and there are lots of trees.
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Wingy
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Thanks Gil - I'm inspired now to make some jelly or syrup... I just hope there are still some left by the time we get our frost, which should be next month.
I took a stroll down to the trees in one of the little copses on my property and picked all the crab apples... all 7 of them. I swear there were many more on the trees last week. I have no idea where they have gone as there's no evidence on the ground around the trees. So I'm going to turn those 7 crab apples into a small jar of jelly tomorrow and keep it for dinner on Christmas Day - a fitting celebration of the year's harvest I think.
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