I have always known my place in the WildSide scheme of things. I pick, I wash, I stone, I prepare, I label, I pack, I move, I sell....... but I dont to the magic bit and actually make our products - till now.

Actually, I did try my hand at Marmalade last year when Helen was poorly and even entered a jar of Andy's Seville Orange into the Marmalade awards, achieving a silver award which delighted me no end. However, that was exceptional and as a rule making is Helens province.

But things have been a bit complicated this year. First there was the Marmalade when we had 30kg of Sevilles and Helen was too poorly to use them before our old kitched was to be demolished. I stepped up to the plate and by following her instructions very closely was able to prepare a good stock of Sloe Gin Fizz Marmalade and Sloe Whisky Seville Marmalade, just before the boys with the pickaxes showed up one cold moprning in January and razed the kitchen to the ground by the time night fell.

The new kitchen was built but then Helen had her surgery and became unable to lift anything, which essentially ruled out preserving pans. Now thats OK as we have cancelled our early season festivals, but we do plan to attend some local events later in the season so we do need to convert some of the foraged fruit in the freezers into preserves. So the understudy has stepped up to the plate (am I mixing my metaphors?).

First up I used the mixed friut to make lots of Fruits of the Forest Jam - always a popular choice.

Then I extracted the Blackberries from the freezer and mixed them with red wine to make a combination which tasted as gorgeous as it smells. I really liked making those batches.

Sticking with a dark red colour I moved on the the Damsons of which we had several kilograms. We mixed these with a ginger and green tea infusion and I love the end result. Spread thickly on seedy bread it is amazing, if I say so myself.

Then Helen decided I needed to spread my wings and set me off on the chutney trail. This was breaking new ground for me and we started off on Medlar and Apple Chutney - a spicy preserve and one of our most popular. The freezers are crammed with Medlar pulp and it comes so hard won we just have to use it! Chutney, I discovered, isnt hard to prepare but it takes ages to cook - hours and hours. And the big pain is having to stir it ever 10 mins so whatever I am doing has to be interrupted at 10 minute intervals. The end result of 53 jars was worth it, but I think I will do two lots simultaneously next time to save my sanity.

Then it was back to jam with 2.2 kilograms of rhubarb converted into 24 jars of Rhubarb with Elderflower Jam.

What next? Well that depends on whas in the freezer but more Rhubarb Jam is likely plus those Goosberries are begging to be made into Goosberry Chutney.  I will let you know how I get on as the understudy gets to stand on the spotlight till normal service is resumed and Helen is back at the helm.