Wild Plums!

[Marianne]

I've got nothing - not even a bloom (yet).

Nutz!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

It's a pretty young tree so maybe it needs another season or two...

 

[baymule]

American persimmons have tiny little green blossoms, ya' gotta be looking for them. They are not self fruitful, so there are male trees that will bloom, but never bear fruit. If there are no male trees near, the female trees will not bear. American persimmons are related to Ebony, thus the wood is very hard.

I made 2 batches of wild plum jam yesterday. Dang that is good! I have not used Pomona's I will have to look into that. I went picking day before yesterday and visited George a few minutes. he had a friend visiting and George told his friend Chuck how good my plum jam was. Chuck asked to buy some, LOL. The conversation continued, with Chuck telling me that he had a pear tree that is loaded and I can have the pears. I was delighted.

After I picked plums, I told George that I had some plum jam for him and I'd be right back with it. I packed him up a half dozen jars and one of peach jam. We also took 2 jars of plum and one of peach for his friend Chuck. George tried to pay us for them, we refused.

Went picking today, they are about done, maybe 1 or 2 more pickings. We visited in the middle of the road with people who stopped to ask what we were doing. LOL George came by and said the peach jam was good.

We dug up a couple of small plum trees about a foot tall. Then we went elderberry hunting. We dug up 7 plants and I cut blooms off quite a few plants. I will either dehydrate the flowers or make a cordial, kinda leaning towards a cordial. That would make a good hot toddy! We have the elder and plum trees soaking in a bucket until we set them out this evening. There is a big patch of elders that we picked last year, the canes are 12 to 15' tall. After the berries are done this year, we are going to dig up some of them too.

 

[CrealCritter]

American persimmons have tiny little green blossoms, ya' gotta be looking for them. They are not self fruitful, so there are male trees that will bloom, but never bear fruit. If there are no male trees near, the female trees will not bear. American persimmons are related to Ebony, thus the wood is very hard.

I made 2 batches of wild plum jam yesterday. Dang that is good! I have not used Pomona's I will have to look into that. I went picking day before yesterday and visited George a few minutes. he had a friend visiting and George told his friend Chuck how good my plum jam was. Chuck asked to buy some, LOL. The conversation continued, with Chuck telling me that he had a pear tree that is loaded and I can have the pears. I was delighted.

After I picked plums, I told George that I had some plum jam for him and I'd be right back with it. I packed him up a half dozen jars and one of peach jam. We also took 2 jars of plum and one of peach for his friend Chuck. George tried to pay us for them, we refused.

Went picking today, they are about done, maybe 1 or 2 more pickings. We visited in the middle of the road with people who stopped to ask what we were doing. LOL George came by and said the peach jam was good.

We dug up a couple of small plum trees about a foot tall. Then we went elderberry hunting. We dug up 7 plants and I cut blooms off quite a few plants. I will either dehydrate the flowers or make a cordial, kinda leaning towards a cordial. That would make a good hot toddy! We have the elder and plum trees soaking in a bucket until we set them out this evening. There is a big patch of elders that we picked last year, the canes are 12 to 15' tall. After the berries are done this year, we are going to dig up some of them too.

Bay you can root shoots off most any tree with rooting hormone, some potting soil and a plastic bag. Take your pocket knife, score a good straight shoot (sucker) or small new limb and dust with rooting hormone. Fit the plastic bag with very moist potting soil and tie it as tight as you can to retain moisture. Check it in a 8 to 10 weeks, there should be small roots growing where you scored it with your pocket knife and dusted with rooting hormone. Then just take and cut the limb or shoot free below the roots and plant as you would any other tree. I've done this several times with fruit trees and it works pretty well. It helps if the limb or shoot is in the shade most of the day, so on the north side of the tree.

 

[Mini Horses]

I bet George & Chuck loved all the jams, jellies, etc. I know you like the free fruit! I sure would. I offer fig preserves to gal I get figs from but, they just don't care for figs. They will eat the blackberry I make from the wild ones. Nice trade. Oh, gave them peach & some nectarine preserves, also. Fruits & sugar all leftover from demos. Almost like a neighbor giving you theirs Like to make it, just don't eat a lot of it. Rarely make toast.

I wonder if other states' forestry dept has similar options

Hmm, I will check with the VA division next week. I'd love a couple things but not 25 -- For some I could buy a nice specimen for not much more, ready to produce sooner. But, if free....I'm in. So, you could get those 25, pot up 22 of them and sell in a year for $5-10 each and come out ok. Just "nursery stock" A little side money. I love hazelnuts.

Had a small persimmon tree when I moved here, on the bank along the driveway to back of farm. Scraggly thing and I never paid it any mind. Then, one year it bore fruit. Nice. Next year man who farmed land behind me, cut it down as he "cleared the sides so his tractor could get through". I explained that was MY land, he was trespassing and I didn't give a rats butt if he EVER got through. Stay off. Don't cut or spray my land!! Raised cain a few more times and he wasn't seen after. Another guy farms it now, we have no issues and an understanding.

 

[Britesea]

Wow, I can't believe he thought he could do that! He didn't even ask first? That is both trespassing AND property damage, both actionable offenses.

 

[CrealCritter]

Thought of you @baymule when I seen this recipe ---> https://winemaking.jackkeller.net/reques35.asp

 

[baymule]

That looks interesting. The wild plums we pick are cherry sized and bright red. They sure make a good jam. Delicious!

 

[baymule]

Wow, I stared this thread in 2016 and it's 2021! There were NO wild plums last year, a late frost got all the blooms. But this year there are plenty of wild plums. There are only two places we have wild plums to pick from now, the rest have been destroyed. We pick from the few trees in the fencerow across the road from us, the owners of the property have retired and live there now. We only pick from the road, no going through the fence and trespassing. I'm thinking that we will take them a couple of jars of jam. We don't really know them and it will be a good way to get better acquainted. LOL

We have also been picking on George's trees, he will get his share of jam too. We don't have as many plums as in years past, due to the destruction of the trees. Sad. People just don't value wild food. For one thing, they aren't going to get out there and gather it, then process it. Buying industrial food at the grocery store is so much easier.

So today I'll be making wild plum jam. I have 2 half gallon jars and a quart jar, plus the plums we picked yesterday that I need to cook, strain and mash to get all the pulp out that I can. The pigs get the left over pulp and seeds. I can hear them crunching the seeds with delight at their treat.

A couple of years ago, I got some suckers off a neighbor's plum tree, one survived. I have it caged off to keep the sheep from eating it when they are in the yard. It's about 4 feet tall now.

I'll go do chores, then get to cooking on some plum jam. I'll post pictures!

 

[baymule]

This is what we picked yesterday. I’m cooking them and will start my jam making with this batch.
Aren’t they pretty!