Nashis

We have moved into a house with the most amazing Nashi tree out the back. It is laden with Nashis, and the Rainbow Lorrikeets think they have every right to strip the tree. I have been watching as they started at the top and have slowly been making their way down... A couple of days ago, I tried to net the tree, but my net wasn't really big enough and the tree has not been pruned for somewhile. Branches growning at odd angles and back into the centre made this near imporrible.

The only solution I could come up with was to pick the Nashis and beat the birds at their own game. Today was the day. I have washed and dried about 200 Nashis. They are ready for storing under the house as soon as I con my man into building rat proof shelves (that should provide some interesting google searches!). I have also tried stewing them - moderately succcessful and drying them - OMG!!!! They are amazing dried. So sweet! The poor dehydrater doesn't know what has hit it. It has has a rest and I will do another lot overnight - I just need to work out how to store them now....

Tomorrow I will try poaching them and if that is a success I will have thousands of smallish bottles of cinnamon Nashi ready for porridge throughout winter!

PS The chookshed is closer but still not finished....