Cherry's = Jam last 2 years crows won, This year I won ( 2-1 for the crows )

[DRKsmoking]

Last 2 years crows won, This year I won ( 2-1 for the crows ). Hope to tie it up next year.
I have a few fruit trees I planted when we moved in here 2012 , Apples , Pears, Plum, Grapes and my Cherry trees. All dwarf style
except the cherry tree , which grows really high.

So to my story, last 2 years just as the cherries are almost ready the CROWS and other critters have their way with the trees, clean them right out.
This year I put a few of the fake Owls around the trees and the sparkle ribbons ( lots of ribbons, the neighbors said that Christmas is not for a few months yet. )
It looked like the tinsel that as a kid Mom used to put in the Xmas tree.

I saved the cherry's as it did keep the Crows away . We had a wet and humid June and that combination is not great as it makes the sugars in the fruit to expand the cherry's
and the skins crack and that brings on other problems bugs , bees etc. And that also must send out a smell because I came home from work the day I was also going to do my
Back Bacon ( and on the 15th day... post ) smoke.

So I got out the ladder and a picking I went, I only got about 15 pounds, But that is 15 pounds more than last couple years. There was almost double that but half could not be
used because of the split skins and bug holes and some critter bites. Hoping next year for a bigger crop.

Brought in the house , Washed them all and in fridge for the next day

Pitted and chopped the cherries, went out and picked some Rhubarb .
Made 16 bottles of Cherry Rhubarb Jam, No pectin as the fruit has it s own.
First time for this jam, my recipe just says stir until thickened Ha Ha so my first batch Will be used for in layers for cakes or in cookies and turn overs as it is VERY thick lol.
I got a handle on the consistency on the next 2 batches, Came out great.
Here are a couple picks

Thanks for reading ...sometimes I just go on and on and on .....sorry

It was a hit with Monas Mom as I noticed when she went home so did a couple bottles.....good thing I like her

Next waiting till later in the summer to do all my pickles, mustard, and Bread and butter, and Mint jelly, Dutch Apple Pie Jam ( it great and does not last long) etc

Thanks for looking

David

 

[TNJAKE]

Nice cherry haul. We had 2 cherry trees. Birds always beat us to the bounty. Had to cut them down 2 or 3 years back due to woodpeckers lol. Wasn't a spot on the trees that hadn't been pecked. We still have apples, pears and peaches but I'm lazy and don't spray them for bugs anymore so most fruit goes to the deer

 

[smokerjim]

Looks good, I have cherry, peach, apple, plum trees, our cherries are done now but we had aluminum pans hanging from branches that keeps them away for the most part, never thought about tinsel will have to try that. Plum and apple trees are loaded this year also quite a few peaches.

 

[kilo charlie]

That looks great!!

Another thing you could try if you have any old blank cds or dvds around is to use a paper punch and punch a hole in them and put a fishing line swivel through the hole and a bit of fishing line and hang those in the tree. The wind moves them around and the flash of the sun reflecting off them tends to scare birds away too. Just an idea for ya.

 

[DRKsmoking]

Birds always beat us to the bounty.

Thanks Jake for the comment, I know what you mean, I was lucky this year as I beat them by keeping them away early . As for the woodpeckers we have a family of Northern Flickers moved in this spring to a tree near the back side of the house. I was surprised at the size of the hole and perfectly round for them to live in the tree.
I forgot to spray my trees this year until it was too late , so I am lucky I got any fruit
This is also a good year for my apple trees. We will see by end of summer

David

 

[DRKsmoking]

Looks good, I have cherry, peach, apple, plum trees, our cherries are done now but we had aluminum pans hanging from branches that keeps them away for the most part, never thought about tinsel will have to try that. Plum and apple trees are loaded this year also quite a few peaches.

Thanks Jim for the like and the comment
The tinsel worked good , but the last day when I got home the crows were on the grass eating the fruit that had fallen. So they might have got enough nerve to go in the trees at some point, but this year is a win for me lol
For some reason this year my Pears were full of blossoms and we thought this would be the year for them, well not 1 pear this year, oh sorry 1 pear in 1 tree. Last year we had a dozen

David

 

[Brokenhandle]

Looks and sounds delicious! We used to get cherries from my FIL but he cut his tree down for lack of production. Good news is we get some cherry wood from him.

Ryan

 

[TNJAKE]

My 3 apple trees are loaded this year more than I've ever had. Like you I barely have a pear on either tree even though they were full bloomed. Peaches didn't get bigger than a half dollar before the bugs and birds got em

 

[DRKsmoking]

old blank cds or dvds around is to use a paper punch and punch a hole in them and put a fishing line

Thanks kilo for the comment, I have seen that but found the rolls of Scaraway at hardware store and thought I would try that first, but thanks for the idea

David

 

[DRKsmoking]

Looks and sounds delicious! We used to get cherries from my FIL but he cut his tree down for lack of production. Good news is we get some cherry wood from him.

Ryan

Thanks Ryan for the comment, The Jam is good , not too tart or too sweet
Silver lining with the cherry wood

David

 

[DRKsmoking]

Peaches didn't get bigger than a half dollar before the bugs and birds got em

My peach tree when small had a few fruit its second year and the tree was small. A raccoon broke it in half bending the tree over to eat them. And nothing on the plumb or Apricot this year either, I can't keep saying maybe next year as I starting to get older also. Will run out of years sometime ha ha

David

 

[tx smoker]

I am in awe David. That looks absolutely outstanding. Great job sir!!

Robert

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

I just bought a steam juicer. Have you ever used these? I waiting for mustang grapes to ripen.

 

[DRKsmoking]

I am in awe David. That looks absolutely outstanding. Great job sir!!

Robert

Thanks Robert for the comment and the like
, great taste and thickness ( not counting the first batch...live and learn But it might make a nice glaze on some pork )
I really like doing preserves and jams etc

David

 

[DRKsmoking]

I just bought a steam juicer. Have you ever used these? I waiting for mustang grapes to ripen.

No Brian I have not heard of this , have you used one. I have a good crop of Concord grapes ( if I get them first when ripe ) that I normally
make Jam, not Jelly out of
I will have to look the steamer up

David

 

[tx smoker]

But it might make a nice glaze on some pork

Funny you should say this. I was thinking the exact same thing as I was reading through your post. Consider also chicken and possible even turkey...and maybe some types of white fish???

Robert

 

[DRKsmoking]

Thanks
tx smoker
Brokenhandle
kilo charlie
for the likes , these came in after I already replied

David

 

[DRKsmoking]

Funny you should say this. I was thinking the exact same thing as I was reading through your post. Consider also chicken and possible even turkey...and maybe some types of white fish???

Robert

Yes that also sounds good, in the pictures there is a larger bottle and 2 small are are too thick to spread on anything ( still good on a spoon lol )
it would tear even the toughest bread apart.
Buy I could thin it down to make a great glaze ....oh a nice big Halibut steak , now I'm hungry again

In the jam I used Lime juice instead of Lemon, I like the flavor in the jam better......fish sounds real good

David

 

[chef jimmyj]

That Jam looks good. You brought back a memory. My H.S.Senior Year (1980) girlfriend's Mom made a Cherry Preserve from the Sour Cherries they grew. Man, was that stuff Delicious. Sweet with a Tart finish. I stayed with that girl an extra Month just to get a couple of Pints of those Cherry Preserves!...JJ

 

[DRKsmoking]

I stayed with that girl an extra Month just to get a couple of Pints of those Cherry Preserves

Sometimes a guy just has to do what a guy has to do, ha ha

Thanks JJ for the like and the comment,
The jam has just a hint of tart from the Rhubarb and the lime juice, but also just sweet enough

David