HomeMy WebLinkAboutSeptember 11, 1980 - Gather Ye Beach PlumsSECOND SECTION Tbr *Uffoft t 11 l e$ SEPTEMBER 11, 1980
Gather Ye Beach Plums
I've often speculated as to how our early
settlers must have felt and what they saw
when first landing on our shores. They
were a rugged lot and used every means to
survive that nature provided.
Our great marshes were a blessing, for it
was here they pastured their cattle and cut
the
salt hay for the winter months ahead. Likewise the
shallow creeks and bays provided their
cupboards with clams, j oysters,
and scallops and a wide variety of could hear the waves lapping at the shore fish for
the taking. as we gathered our beach plums last week.: The land
was mostly forested, but there Beach grass, low rolling dunes, and poison were still
some cleared areas that the ivy won't be too far away. It's a place Indians had
worked and planted their where the hot sands almost repel growth. corn. Crude
as it was, it soon became part Yet the beach plum with its deep roots and of the
white man's domain; for with a little eons of time has adapted to this environ- cloth here
and a few trinkets there, the ment. settlement was
established. It's said that if you plant a beach plum in Once a
foothold was gained on the land, your garden it won't do half as well as in feelers went
out to all parts to find out these hot and areas. They will grow where the
game and the fruits of the land all right, but most of the growth will be in could be
harvested. Wild cherries, bitter to the bush and not in the fruit. It seems the taste
but sweetened by honey, were a beach plums like to struggle. real treat.
And then there were the plums, For those of you who know these spots the eternal
beach plums that grew all where the fox and rabbits play beneath the along the
sandy shores of our Island. Each family
had its own special spot where they
would gather the ripe plums to make into
sweets. Sugar in the early days was almost
unheard of, and so ripe fruit was harvested
whenever possible. Spectacular Crop
This Year September starts
the beach plum season here on
Long Island, and although some years are
better than others our family always seems
to get out and find some each year.
This year is probably the best year we
have had since I can remember. In some
places the bushes are so thick with plums you
can fill your pail without moving. The
weather was just right for the pollination of
the flowers and so the profusion of
blossoms turned into a spec- tacular crop
of plums this fall. Usually it is just the
opposite. The white blossoms that cover the
bushes in the early spring are not completely pollinized
by the insects, due to rain or
cold, and so when the plant passes through the "
time of fruit- setting" the end result is
there are few plums or none at all. There's
no jelly that looks and tastes like beach plum.
Crystal, clear red — like the color of
a good wine and the taste and smell tingle
your taste buds with a rare delight. Right
now my wife, Barbara, is mixing with
an old wooden spoon and testing the
consistency of her latest batch. Come look
and smell ". As I enter the kitchen I
become aware of that never-to- be-forgotten
scent of beach plums cooking. She showed
me the rich red syrup slowly dripping off
the angled metal spoon. "Not quite ready
yet. The drops have to run together." I'
m tempted to lick the spoon but the
steaming mass below warns me of the consequences.
How To
Find Beach Plums Over the
counter hangs a bag, maroon in color, dripping
into a bowl. This is a batch she has
already boiled down -- the juice is straining out
for jelly and the pulp will be used for
jam and conserve. There are jars of all
sorts around, from the old- fashioned, rubber- ringed
glass top and canning jars to the
short giveaway glasses that will be paraffined over
for sealing. These give- away jars
are for Christmas and special event gifts.
There is
an excitement here and the top of the
now sleeping woodstove tells that not only is
my wife enjoying herself but her efforts have
produced results. It's a far cry from the
old days when iron kettles and hot wood stoves
were used, but nevertheless there is
something to be said today for getting your
own plums, cooking them and putting them
up. Probably many
would say it's too much trouble, and
for sure there's a lot of work involved. But
then what is life all about anyway. Basics,
work and creativity, head the list
and she's doing them all. Others might
say they'd like to try making beach
plum jelly, but just don't know where
to go for them. Well, I'm not going to
tell you my spot, but I will tell you that you
can find them by using your own deduction from
the following: Look for
a place along our bay, Sound or ocean beaches,
where it's not too well trodden. The
spot is usually not too far from the
water. As a matter of fact we iO k ;.
BEACH
PLUMS - -
This has been the best year for beach plums in many a year. Sandy,
desolate areas behind the beach are favorite spots for gathering them.
Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh beach plums,
visit now. For those wno puzzle together and enjoy one of fall's know not
where they grow, explore and great delights. Beach plumming on the you will
find them. Put the parts of the East End. PAUL STOUTENBURGH L w
Mey
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