When we moved to this ol’ house the previous owner had left cases of plum wine in the basement. We were told they came from the plum trees in the side yard.
At first I was excited about having fruits trees on the property. Upon looking at these plums though they were not what I expected. Coming from the fruit-belt of southwestern Ontario these were not like any plum I had ever seen before. These were tiny in comparison. I couldn’t imagine how they would be used.
With minimal knowledge of fruit trees I made the decision that what these small plums needed was for the trees to be aggressively pruned. I then did this for a few years. Eventually I mentioned this to a neighbour. She informed me the variety was supposed to be small. I’m not sure why this never occurred to me.
The past couple of years as I delved more into native plants, preserving, and foraging I have finally started making use of these sweet little plums. I think they are best fresh, but also put an abundance in the food dehydrator so I can enjoy them through the winter on my oatmeal. This year I am also making a plum sauce and attempting a fruit roll up.
As I looked for more inspiration online I came to the conclusion these are likely toka plums, a cold-hardy, sweet variety.
In my web search I also looked at the nutritional benefits of this sweet late -summer treat. They boast a good supply of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, potassium, antioxidants, and fibre.
From three trees I once thought were a bit of a nuisance I have now become one of their biggest fans. The trees are also quite popular with our local birds and pollinators making me love them even more.
I’d love any ideas of how to make the most of this abundant harvest.