"Dave Hill" wrote
Who said anything about eating?
I said taste, that means getting the tip of your tongue onto the
inside flesh, that wont kill you, it wont make you ill, it will just
let you know that they ARE Sloes.
Even Nightshade in that ammount would have no effect on you.
They are far less harmefull than Green tomatoes, green potatoes, Raw
Rhubarb, or for that matter raw Onions or a spoonfull of sugar.

If they're sloes, and they do look like them, then if the taste doesn't
confirm it vicious thorns on the shrub ought to

--
Sue

On Oct 15, 7:25*pm, "Sue" wrote:
"Dave Hill" wrote

Who said anything about eating?
I said taste, that means getting the tip of your tongue onto the
inside flesh, that wont kill you, it wont make you ill, it will just
let you know that they ARE Sloes.
Even Nightshade in that ammount would have no effect on you.
They are far less harmefull than Green tomatoes, green potatoes, Raw
Rhubarb, or for that matter raw Onions or a spoonfull of sugar.

If they're sloes, and they do look like them, then if the taste doesn't
confirm it vicious thorns on the shrub ought to
In my experiance I'd not call Blackthorn an excesivily thorny shrub, but what it does have are vicious.
It used to be called the Devils Thorn, and is the onlt plant who's
thorn has turned my hand septic after being stuck by it, resulting in
anti biotic injection and a weeks course of tablets.
David Hill
--
Sue

On Oct 15, 8:58*pm, Dave Hill wrote:
On Oct 15, 7:25*pm, "Sue" wrote: "Dave Hill" wrote

Who said anything about eating?
I said taste, that means getting the tip of your tongue onto the
inside flesh, that wont kill you, it wont make you ill, it will just
let you know that they ARE Sloes.
Even Nightshade in that ammount would have no effect on you.
They are far less harmefull than Green tomatoes, green potatoes, Raw
Rhubarb, or for that matter raw Onions or a spoonfull of sugar.

If they're sloes, and they do look like them, then if the taste doesn't
confirm it vicious thorns on the shrub ought to
In my experiance I'd not call Blackthorn an excesivily thorny shrub, but what it does have are vicious.

It used to be called the Devils Thorn, and is the onlt plant who's
thorn has turned my hand septic after being stuck by it, resulting in
anti biotic injection and a weeks course of tablets.
David Hill

Ah, it all looks very much like sloe. Excellant, pickled sloes
probably coming up. The little sample I took shows no sign of that
crease I see in some of the pictures, do some sloes not have that?
When I go back at some point I'll check more berries to see if some
do.

Thanks everyone


NT

On 15/10/2011 20:58, Dave Hill wrote:
On Oct 15, 7:25 pm, wrote:
"Dave wrote

Who said anything about eating?
I said taste, that means getting the tip of your tongue onto the
inside flesh, that wont kill you, it wont make you ill, it will just
let you know that they ARE Sloes.
Even Nightshade in that ammount would have no effect on you.
They are far less harmefull than Green tomatoes, green potatoes, Raw
Rhubarb, or for that matter raw Onions or a spoonfull of sugar.

If they're sloes, and they do look like them, then if the taste doesn't
confirm it vicious thorns on the shrub ought to
In my experiance I'd not call Blackthorn an excesivily thorny shrub, but what it does have are vicious.
It used to be called the Devils Thorn, and is the onlt plant who's
thorn has turned my hand septic after being stuck by it, resulting in
anti biotic injection and a weeks course of tablets.
David Hill
--
Sue


Today looks perfect for sloe picking, but you've reminded me how vicious
those thorns are

I've not seen a crease in any of the sloes I've picked.
We've picked some today, from two bushes, one lot a bit over-ripe and about the size of small cherries, the other lot about the size of large peas. Neither bush was particularly thorny.

On Oct 16, 10:32*am, stuart noble wrote:
On 15/10/2011 20:58, Dave Hill wrote:



On Oct 15, 7:25 pm, *wrote:
"Dave *wrote

Who said anything about eating?
I said taste, that means getting the tip of your tongue onto the
inside flesh, that wont kill you, it wont make you ill, it will just
let you know that they ARE Sloes.
Even Nightshade in that ammount would have no effect on you.
They are far less harmefull than Green tomatoes, green potatoes, Raw
Rhubarb, or for that matter raw Onions or a spoonfull of sugar.

If they're sloes, and they do look like them, then if the taste doesn't
confirm it vicious thorns on the shrub ought to
In my experiance I'd not call Blackthorn an excesivily thorny shrub, but what it does have are vicious.
It used to be called the Devils Thorn, and is the onlt plant who's
thorn has turned my hand septic after being stuck by it, resulting in
anti biotic injection and a weeks course of tablets.
David Hill
--
Sue

Today looks perfect for sloe picking, but you've reminded me how vicious
those thorns are

I got back to the bushes, and theyre definitely sloes. I picked a few
to experiment with, and I can totally recommend them.

Microwave, remove stones, add vinegar - makes a nice pickle
Microwave, remove stones, add to curry - very nice
Sloe jam - yum!

Thanks everyone.


NT

On 16/10/2011 18:15, NT wrote:
On Oct 16, 10:32 am, stuart wrote:
On 15/10/2011 20:58, Dave Hill wrote:



On Oct 15, 7:25 pm, wrote:
"Dave wrote

Who said anything about eating?
I said taste, that means getting the tip of your tongue onto the
inside flesh, that wont kill you, it wont make you ill, it will just
let you know that they ARE Sloes.
Even Nightshade in that ammount would have no effect on you.
They are far less harmefull than Green tomatoes, green potatoes, Raw
Rhubarb, or for that matter raw Onions or a spoonfull of sugar.

If they're sloes, and they do look like them, then if the taste doesn't
confirm it vicious thorns on the shrub ought to
In my experiance I'd not call Blackthorn an excesivily thorny shrub, but what it does have are vicious.
It used to be called the Devils Thorn, and is the onlt plant who's
thorn has turned my hand septic after being stuck by it, resulting in
anti biotic injection and a weeks course of tablets.
David Hill
--
Sue

Today looks perfect for sloe picking, but you've reminded me how vicious
those thorns are

I got back to the bushes, and theyre definitely sloes. I picked a few
to experiment with, and I can totally recommend them.

Microwave, remove stones, add vinegar - makes a nice pickle
Microwave, remove stones, add to curry - very nice
Sloe jam - yum!

Thanks everyone.


NT

Sloe gin, but ideally not until Xmas 2013

"Dave Hill" wrote in message
...

The Sloe only has a small spot as a flower scar, if in doubt bite into
it, very sharp and astringent then it's a Sloe.

Small for sloes? It would help if the OP could tell us the plant size
and
growth habit, and the size of the fruit... and whether he's in a
markedly
acid or alkaline area.

Janet

Janet.

Right, something else I failed to think of! The berries are half inch
diameter, they also lack the crease on one side the plum family has.
Plant size my memory's a bit hazy, it wasnt the only plant I was
looking at, but 3-6 foot high. The soil is clay, I believe alkaline,
and a bit on the wet side.

I totally agree with what someone said further up, I wont be eating
any until I'm positive I've got the identification right.

NT- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Who said anything about eating?

Struart Robert Hinsley did.


Bill

"stuart noble" wrote in message
...
On 15/10/2011 20:58, Dave Hill wrote:
On Oct 15, 7:25 pm, wrote:
"Dave wrote

Who said anything about eating?
I said taste, that means getting the tip of your tongue onto the
inside flesh, that wont kill you, it wont make you ill, it will just
let you know that they ARE Sloes.
Even Nightshade in that ammount would have no effect on you.
They are far less harmefull than Green tomatoes, green potatoes, Raw
Rhubarb, or for that matter raw Onions or a spoonfull of sugar.

If they're sloes, and they do look like them, then if the taste doesn't
confirm it vicious thorns on the shrub ought to
In my experiance I'd not call Blackthorn an excesivily thorny shrub, but
what it does have are vicious.
It used to be called the Devils Thorn, and is the onlt plant who's
thorn has turned my hand septic after being stuck by it, resulting in
anti biotic injection and a weeks course of tablets.
David Hill
--
Sue


Today looks perfect for sloe picking, but you've reminded me how vicious
those thorns are

....and I doubt that gardening gloves are any protection.

Bill

On Oct 16, 7:07*pm, stuart noble wrote:
On 16/10/2011 18:15, NT wrote:



On Oct 16, 10:32 am, stuart *wrote:
On 15/10/2011 20:58, Dave Hill wrote:

On Oct 15, 7:25 pm, * *wrote:
"Dave * *wrote

Who said anything about eating?
I said taste, that means getting the tip of your tongue onto the
inside flesh, that wont kill you, it wont make you ill, it will just
let you know that they ARE Sloes.
Even Nightshade in that ammount would have no effect on you.
They are far less harmefull than Green tomatoes, green potatoes, Raw
Rhubarb, or for that matter raw Onions or a spoonfull of sugar.

If they're sloes, and they do look like them, then if the taste doesn't
confirm it vicious thorns on the shrub ought to
In my experiance I'd not call Blackthorn an excesivily thorny shrub, but what it does have are vicious.
It used to be called the Devils Thorn, and is the onlt plant who's
thorn has turned my hand septic after being stuck by it, resulting in
anti biotic injection and a weeks course of tablets.
David Hill
--
Sue

Today looks perfect for sloe picking, but you've reminded me how vicious
those thorns are

I got back to the bushes, and theyre definitely sloes. I picked a few
to experiment with, and I can totally recommend them.

Microwave, remove stones, add vinegar - makes a nice pickle
Microwave, remove stones, add to curry - very nice
Sloe jam - yum!

Thanks everyone.

NT

Sloe gin, but ideally not until Xmas 2013


Theres just one problem, I need a much faster way to remove the
stones. Squished sloes take forever to go through a sieve, and
separating out the stones with a fork is taking ages. Theyre 1/4"
stones - anyone any ideas?


NT