Abundance Edinburgh

Fergus and Ross have been busy pruning fruit donors’ trees recently – maximising the 2013 yield!

Next Sunday, 30th September, we’ll be clearing and tidying the storage space at Bridgend Growing Communities to make space for our larger equipment. And if we’ve time, doing some foraging in Craigmillar Castle Park… : )

We’re off on a foraging walk this Thursday evening!

Meet Ross and Valla at the Engine Shed at 6.30pm. Fingers crossed for some brambles, maybe some raspberries or strawberries – there’s definately nettles to be had!

Hi Abundancers.

This year, it looks as if Abundance Edinburgh is going to have a quiet autumn. As a result of the weather earlier in the year, many fruit trees have failed to set fruit. We’ve had feedback from about a third of home owners who donated last year to say that they’ve no fruit on their trees. I have seen fruit on some trees but they seem to be on smaller trees in sheltered positions. Most of the trees that we’ve picked fruit from are old, large trees that are exposed to the elements. I’m hoping that we will get some orchard fruits donated and that we can do some juicing and making appley and peary delights but it looks like things will be less busy than last year (which was our busiest season yet).

We’ll be heading out to pick berries (brambles and elderberries) on a regular basis and then do stuff with them and possibly some mushroom foraging too. We’d like to keep a regular Thursday evening slot for this, at least until it gets too dark in the evenings to go out.

We dont’ have a funded post this year, so if people want to get in touch, please e-mail info@abundanceedinburgh.com or post on the mailing list. If anyone wants to organise their own foraging trip, just post it out on the mailing list and any tips about abundant orchard fruit are welcome too!

Valla

Fergus and Ross at the Scottish Real Ale Festival 2012 – if the photo looks blurry that’s just because they were working so fast.

This year Abundance Edinburgh were invited to showcase our cider at the Scottish Real Ale Festival. Our cider proved very popular – 160 third pint measures sold quickly. Our own Valla and Samantha appeared in Saturday’s Edinburgh Evening News!

I got this apple in my veggie box a couple of weeks ago.

 It was the size of a small turnip and weighed in at 534g. It’s a Howgate Wonder from England.

The pictures show it in comparison with a supermarket bought Royal Gala.

What a whopper! Can we harvest some as large this year please?!

Update: The Saturday workshop is now almost full up! Sunday is freer but getting full. Please e-mail to secure your place.

Abundance Edinburgh are proud to announce two free pruning workshops in March.

Saturday 17th March, 11am – 5pm at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital orchard with Tom Watson.

Sunday 18th March, 12pm – 5pm (finish time approx.) in the Grange with Peter Upton.

Both workshops will be practical in nature.

Places are limited so if you’re interested please e-mail
Valla:valla@abundanceedinburgh.com.

An illustrated summary of what we achieved in 2011, prepared by Valla in December and sent out in January to those on our mailing lists:

Abundance_Edinburgh_Newsletter_2011

We look forward to more good things in 2012!