Abundance Southfields

About

Abundance Southfields is a community project established in 2013 in Wandsworth, South West London. The aim of the project is to connect fruit tree owners to volunteer fruit pickers, picklers, bakers and fermenters in order that all of the fantastic, largely organic fruit in the area is used instead of going onto compost heaps or, even worse, into the bin! We'd like to encourage people to maintain established fruit trees and plant new ones to enhance biodiversity.

From 2013 to 2023 we turned vast volumes of rescued fruit into dry, sparkling cider that we had a lot of fun selling at various festivals and markets. The cider making has now come to an end due to space constraints. Another popular way of distributing hundreds of kilograms of fruit within a few hours has been to set up tables with free fruit for people to take as they emerge from Southfields tube station. This activity continues and volunteering to help is a lot of fun and a great way to meet a wide range people in your community. Everyone loves a free local apple!

Quite a bit of the fruit that is rescued now goes to community kitchens in Wandsworth and Merton. There is a practical limit to what these organisations can take at a time and so we are always happy to hear from people who are able to take and use fruit for any purpose. Please get in touch if you need some!

The volume that can be put to use is more restricted since the cider making stopped so we have had to scale back the area where we harvest and collect to the more immediate SW18 area around the Southfields Grid (including Alverstone, Braemar and Melrose Avenues) and the streets off Wimbledon Park Road, Sutherland Grove and West Hill Road. If you are in this area and have a tree that you would like some help to harvest and share then please get in touch through the contact page.

FAQ

The Frequently Asked Questions....

From tree owners:
Q. Do I have to give all my fruit away?
A. Nope, you don't have to give us any if you just need help picking it.
Q. Can I just borrow some of your fruit picking equipment?
A. Probably. Depends on whether we are using it and how nicely you ask.
Q. Will a bunch of fruit-obsessed strangers turn up and trample my garden?
A. Volunteer fruit pickers are generally quite pleasant people who respect your flowerbeds.

From fruit pickers:
Q. How can I make sure that I am told about a harvest that is being arranged?
A. Get in touch HERE and make sure we have your phone number. We'll email or call when there's work to be done.
Q. Will I be first in line for some fruit if I help pick?
A. You'll be just behind the fruit tree owner.
Q. I've seen a tree full of fruit going to waste! What should I do?
A. Stay calm! Start by knocking on the door of the tree owner, introducing yourself and tell them about the Abundance project. Perhaps ask them if you can help distribute or put the fruit to use yourself. Contact us for help or equipment if needed.

Ideas

Here are a few ideas and 'how to' guides we have tried out.

Mulling syrup for hot mulled cider.

Syrup to turn a spare batch of fermented apple juice into delicious hot mulled cider!! Developed by our very own co-conspirator, Simon, for our November 2019 cider sale - grab the recipe and method from his blog.

Make your own apple cider vinegar.

You don't need much to do this. A few apples (or even left over cores and peels), some sugar, water, a big jar....and time. Just DO NOT seal the jar during the process!! Recipe and guide thanks to Tales Of a Kitchen

Make some pear or apple cider.

This is a good way to preserve a lot of fruit for consumption over the months ahead. It is how we deal with windfalls, bruised fruit and the bulk of excess harvest. You'll need to pulp and press the fruit, ferment the juice, bottle it and finally phone your friends to come around and test it for you. Here is a reasonable guide and step by step explanation with non state-of-the-art equipment.

Anyone can make a crumble.

A couple of pears / apples / quinces and maybe some berries from the brambles found all over Wandsworth. A few minutes work with butter, sugar and flour and this is ready for the oven. Google will find you a million recipe variations.

If you have an idea or a guide for us to post here then please send it over. Jams, chutneys, jellies and pies - there is room for them all on the internet!

Contact

We would love to hear from tree owners, fruit pickers and anyone who has ideas for the project or who would like to share tree care knowledge.

Please note that we are only able to harvest and collect fruit from properties in the Southfields Grid (including Alverstone, Braemar and Melrose Avenues) and on the roads near Wimbledon Park Road, Sutherland Grove and West Hill Road.

Send us an email at  abundancesouthfields@hotmail.com.

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