apples

Make organic cider vinegar, juice, freeze, make loads of ratatouille and freeze, freeze beans. That's what happened to our own glut. If the apples are in tip top condition store them somewhere cool.

We are still eating the apple butter I made two years ago. I've made apple jelly with windfalls already this year. I have plans for chutney as we haven't many jars left and I think mincemeat. I have many large preserving jars but I now find them too heavy when full. I don't think I want to make another apple crumble this year!

We've washed some of our apples- the unblemished ones- in a mild sterilising solution, then wrapped them in newspaper and put them in a cool place to keep for the winter.

Put them in outside your house and offer them for free to passers by

izabella I would be interested to know what you use your cider vinegar for?
And also if you have a recipe to pass on?

I froze some rhubarb (weighed) earlier in the year and then used it with apples (from the allotment) and dates to make chutney (BBC recipe). I've made it before and it is very good.

Bit late about the rhubarb for this year but it may be a useful tip for someone for next year.

Cider vinegar is for the hens. I also take 1tsp each morning in glass of water to keep the sugar cravings at bay!! Can post recipe later if you still want it?

I read somewhere that hens love apple windfalls because they usually have worms in them, which hens like.
As for the good ones, I pick them carefully and store them in a cool dark place, spread out on newspapers. Very labour-intensive. Most last a few months.
We have one apple tree which is prolific, and the fruit can be used for cooking or eating. I think it's a kind of Braeburn.
Courgettes - I give up.
Beans - what kind?

I would take them to any group I went to regularly.
Offer them to family and friends
Put outside the house with a few spare bags for passers by to help themselves - that's what happens around here.

I have been stewing and freezing my apple glut for eating as a pudding after our main meal over the year. I also have big bags of rhubarb, and boxes of greengages and gooseberries. They can be crumbled, flavoured with cinnamon and sultanas, and made into a range of different desserts. I have also made apple chutney.

I am fortunate that I have a large chest freezer, which can swallow a lot of frozen garden produce and a smaller one, inherited from an aunt that was switched on a few weeks ago and will probably be in use until Christmas, by which time we will have eaten enough for the contents to fit into my main freezer.

We make apple wine. It's a bit too sweet (for us) to drink neat but delicious made into a spritzer with slimline tonic.