The quince tree at The Farm has done us proud. We gathered this basket full of luscious fruit last week. Unfortunately when myself and Slasher actually picked the fruit we didn’t have a basket, or indeed anything resembling one. We had wandered over for our weekly recce of how things were proceeding in Quinceland and an immediate Code Red was implimented. There was no time for frivolous containers, we sprung into harvesting action. With our arms chocked full to overflowing we rushed to the office where Annie Admin provided us with the attractive receptacle. Ms Admin can always be relied upon for the perfect photo opportunity.
Being unaccustomed to the wiles of this uncommon tree we were unsure when it would be right time to pick them. After much scientific analysis and studying of ancient tomes we were led to believe this was the right time for harvest. The fact that they had begun to leap unaided from the tree, and were destined to become badger food if we didn’t do something quickly, also helped.
The variety is Serbian Gold which is one of the apple fruited cultivars. This means the fruit are shaped like apples. No honest! It is considered to be one of the best varieties for growing in this country. It has large pink flowers in the spring and is self fertile. The fruit can get much larger than our, petite but perfectly formed, pickings this year. Apparently they can reach between 0.5kg and 1kg each. Yes each! Poor tree, it better put on a bit of muscle before next year.
These beauties have now been “processed” and are on their way to becoming quince jelly. Hope they are sharing …..
Off The Edge Gardening 
What fun! They DO look like tiny apples. I hope they don’t need to be peeled before processing. Let us know the result.
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I’m not sure, I’m not in that department. Will do 🙂
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What a wonderful collection of Quince. I’m quite envious. I’m growing Serbian too, though I lost all my fruit this year. Hoping next year I’ll finally get a harvest. Do you have a recipe for a quince jelly you recommend?
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I wonder if it was the dry weather. Alison lost all her’s too I think. I did give this little tree a few cans of water during the season, and of course this is North Devon so we had more rain that most. I will find out what recipe Kathy (Mrs Farm) used.
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Yeh, Alison lost hers too. I did water mine quite a bit, but not as rigorously as I could have, so that may have been the problem. I also need to take account of it being in a rain shadow and on a windy site, which dries things out more quickly. Send some of that Devon rain up next Spring 😉
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I will do my best, we have plenty to share! 🙂
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Nice. And the quincequonces of not collecting them would be an absence of jelly! I invested in a pack of these: http://tinyurl.com/jngwsdo. Degradeable(ish) so my conscience is a little easier than the 500 for 99p sort. Fold up so small they’ll fit anywhere. Always carry one in a pocket. Useful for emergencies like unexpected weeds when the bucket’s a mile away or dead moles etc left by cat for collection.
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You are very organised, I think I knew that already but this reinforces it. In a good way of course. 🙂
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What a harvest, how old is the tree? My ‘ Vranja’ has huge fruits but not very many. I think it was too dry and lots of them fell off when they were tiny. So what are you going to do with them? Do you make membrillo?
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It is only a baby. It was planted the year before last. Last year, not one fruit, not even one to fall off. I think you are right about the dry weather, I did water it a few times. Kathy the farm owner has made jelly, perhaps next year membrillo ……
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Yup. Leaping off the tree unaided is a sure sign that fruit is ripe! Glad you got to these lovelies before the badgers did.
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And me, can’t wait to taste the jelly, haven’t tried quince before.
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I’ve never seen this variety of quince before. I Love quince jam, but here they no one grows them. Sometimes they bring some over from California but not every year. Maybe I need to start growing my own tree…and make lot of quince jelly in my old age :))
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Good idea, they have lovely spring blossom, you could start a trend!
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