Strawberries?

[NickInTheNorth]

Is there anywhere in Caithness that grows and sells strawberries - I'm wanting 20 lbs of them. Supermarkets seem to charge silly money for them.

Also interested in any other fruit available locally.

I love making jam, and having just moved I don't have any fruit growing this year and I'm nearly out of jam and really cannot bear the thought of eating commercial slop.

[thebigman]

http://www.caithness-business.co.uk/business.php?id=1449

[Moira]

I buy Halkirk strawberries in the fishshop at the Harbour in Thurso when I shop there & other local fruits & veg at the market stalls in Wick on a Saturday. My basic veggies for the week are bought from my butcher shop in Wick but I also buy a variety of fruit & veg in Tescos, Wick and I don't ever buy slop.

Nick - if your main interest in moving so far north was to make jam, I'd suggest someone seriously misled you.

[George Brims]

A long long time ago, when I was wee, you used to be able to order strawberries and raspberries from the Carse of Gowrie, and they would arrive by rail in a big tall tin - maybe 9 inches in diameter and two feet tall. A mad session of jam-making would ensue. The fruit was usually a bit crushed but there were always some nice berries to be salvaged off the top for personal consumption.

[NickInTheNorth]

Nick - if your main interest in moving so far north was to make jam, I'd suggest someone seriously misled you.

Oh no!

Better plan on moving south again :(

Been making all my own jams marmalades etc for years. Don't want to stop now :)

many thanks for the advice

[badger]

Nonsense - just change to the traditional fruit for Caithness jam which is rhubarb. If you've never tried it go to Mary Ann's Cottage and you'll find some there. Actually I think it's rhubarb and ginger but I'm sure you can do your own variations.

[NickInTheNorth]

I love rhubarb and ginger jam, and make lots of that too!

But the kids love strawberry - whats a man to do?

[WeeBurd]

http://www.caithness-business.co.uk/business.php?id=1449

They do raspberries, blackcurrants and blackberries too...:D

[badger]

I love rhubarb and ginger jam, and make lots of that too!

But the kids love strawberry - whats a man to do?

That's the trouble with kids - they have opinions. What is it about rhubarb that people think they don't like it?

If we run out at Mary Ann's I'll know where to come. :)

[Torvaig]

People do like rhubarb but up here I think they are too familiar with it as it grows in abundance! I bet if it all disappeared and someone imported some, it would prove very popular indeed....

[anneoctober]

People do like rhubarb but up here I think they are too familiar with it as it grows in abundance! I bet if it all disappeared and someone imported some, it would prove very popular indeed....
Torvaig, DONT even joke about it, my hubby has just turned a whiter shade of pale, imagining a life without rhubarb OR gooseberries :lol:

[horseman]

I had allmost forgotten about rhubarb, how sad, thanks for reminding me:) Must tell her to experiment with custard an crumble:D Lovely memories there.

[Bill Fernie]

Don't worry Nick strawberries, rasperries, blackcurrants, red currants and much more do well in Caithness. The season is later unless you have poly tunnel. Once the days get longer they usually come on in rush so planting different varieties is good idea unless you want a huge glutt and you need to make your jam all at once.

Nowadays the Blackbirds get huge amounts of currants from our bushes so it is still worth growing them

[Julia]

Has anyone ever tried tomato jam, it's very nice :Razz

[dragonfly]

raspberries and blackcurrants grow wild up the moors at Naver and they are free!!;) sure my Dad used to drive round some of the country lanes picking berries (like a raspberry but an orangy colour) from the bushes at the roadside for his wine - not sure if these will be ok for jam tho?

[ashaw1]

I got some beautiful Caithness strawberries today from Harolds butchers in Wick. It doesn't say on the punnet exactly where they were grown but i dare say if you gave them a phone they would point you in the right direction.