Rose Hip Syrup

This recipe is from Hugh at Riverside cottage.

Rosehip syrup

Rosehips are, of course, a fruit the same family as apples in fact and this classic autumn hedgerow syrup has a unique and lovely flavour: warm, floral and fruity. This method is the simplest and best I've found for making rosehip syrup. Double-straining ensures that the tiny, irritant hairs found inside rosehips are removed. Photo: Simon Wheeler.

Prep5minsCook20minsServs1

Method

Sterilise a couple of bottles and vinegar-proof screw-tops or stoppers by washing thoroughly in hot soapy water, rinsing well, then putting them on a tray in a low oven (at 120°C/Gas 1⁄2) to dry out and heat up.

Roughly chop the rosehips in a food processor in batches, then transfer to a large saucepan and add 1.25 litres water.

Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for around 15 minutes.

Strain through a double layer of muslin, letting the pulp sit for a good half hour so that all the juice passes through.

Wash out the muslin, or cut a fresh piece, fold to double it and pass the strained juice through it again.

Measure the rosehip juice into a large saucepan.

For every 500ml, add 325g sugar.

Heat slowly, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to the boil and boil for 3 minutes, skimming off any scum if necessary.

Decant immediately into the prepared bottles and seal.

Label when the bottles have cooled completely.

Use within 4 months and refrigerate once opened.

Serving suggestions

Try it for breakfast trickled over porridge, pancakes, drop scones or eggy bread; use it to sweeten plain yoghurt (with some chopped apple if you like); or for a delicious pud, trickle it on to hot or cold rice pudding or good vanilla ice cream.

Sloe Gin

I've been thinking about making some sloe gin this Autumn. This recipe is from Dales Life Mag.

Air Arms s410f .177 carbine review.

So I've sold my s410f PCP. The money was needed. (Car repairs needed and no work for pretty much the whole of August!) It was a good introduction to PCP rifles and let me start off by saying that despite what's written below I really liked the rifle. Quite a few of the problems I had are more to do with multi shot PCP in general and not just the s410f.
Build quality was good and the recoilless action was without doubt accurate if a little inert and uneventful. Blueing was great but I'm not too sure about the shiny beech stock though I liked the shape and fit of it. I think I just don't like varnished stocks. Maybe look for something in walnut next time.
It was the first .177 I've had since I was a little lad and whilst I can see what all these guys on forums are on about who swear by it for its flatter trajectory etc I found it not as reliable for hunting. When it comes to rabbiting you really need a .22 as the extra knock down weight is noticeable to my mind.
I did like the fact that the s410f was lightweight at 6 lbs odd for carrying around and initial I thought it better for standing shots than the heavy spring powered rifles I've always used before. However the more I've used it and the more I use the second hand TX200hc I bought this summer the more I realise that the spring rifles are much easier and steady to aim with. The TX200hc .22 out shoots the s410f from prone certainly, mainly because it sits so well on target. Put a bipod on the PCP and it's a different matter though with cloverleaf or single hole groups achieved at hunting ranges.
Perhaps the longer classic version will be a little more front heavy and sit better on the forward hand. It would give more shots too. Coming from spring power only having 60-70 shots before recharging was a bit of a ball ache. Again a .22 would be better.
What about the 10 shot magazine. For me this didn't work on a hunting rifle. Maybe I'm an anachronism as everyone else online seems to think it's a must. After 10mins in the field never knew of I'd recycled the bolt after the last shot though getting into the habit of engaging the manual safety helped. I was always paranoid about putting two up the spout. And while we are on the topic of the safety what on earth is that safety all about in the trigger like that with that poxy wee spring on view. When the rest of the rifle looks so good it's a let down. I see Rowen Engineering do a nice brass set back trigger that removes the safety function which on a single shot would be fine I think. The other thing about having a magazine (which cycled flawlessly over the two years I've had the rifle by the way) is that it changes the rhythm of shooting. It all seems to get a bit fast and furious if you allow it. When plinking on the range the novelty of rapid fire soon wears off when you have to stop and fill the magazine up again. It seems to break your concentration, alter the pattern as it were, and whilst hunting with springers I've never really had a problem with reloading. It's part of the skill. You've got one shot. Get it right.
So would I have another .177 Air Arms s410f. No. But I'd have an .22 Air Arms s400 classic with a walnut stock and a Rowen Engineering aftermarket trigger. That would be nice.

Fruit trees for Lanacar Lane?

http://www.vanmeuwen.com/fruit-and-vegetables/fruit-trees/apple-and-pear-trees/fruit-tree-collection/V53153VM?source=google-prodex&gclid=Cj0KEQjw6am-BRCTk4WZhLfd4-oBEiQA3ydA3px0dDxMp32ZAdrDVfhj8j-udYJPrwrMP8qasy7u-WMaAqD-8P8HAQ

If we get the Lanacar Lane land the rushes will need dealing with.

http://farmnw.co.uk/news/rush_management_in_upland_pastures_spraying_cutting_ploughing_dr

Fingers crossed.

Offer accepted! Waiting for the solicitors to do their bit now. Wonder what's going to become of the current encumbrants?

Conkers

It must be autumn if the Horse Chestnuts are showing conkers.

The first day of Autumn