pxhere / Public Domain
The Third Saturday in April is celebrated as Damson Day in the Lyth Valley in Cumbria, England, sponsored by the Westmorland Damson Association (established 1996.)
At this time of year there, the damson plum trees are in bloom (particularly the locally-favoured damsons, called “Witherslack damsons.”)
Various growers sell products made from damsons such as ice cream, wine, pickles, pies, tarts, cakes, gin, syrup, chutney, and even cheese with damson plums in it. Some growers will also sell trees (suckers) for you to plant, and give you advice on growing them.
The day was started in the 1998 by the Westmorland Damson Association to try to preserve damson orchards. The old trees were dying one by one, with no new trees being planted to replace them.
It was definitely a case of Damsons in Distress!
Today, if all other ideas fail you about how to celebrate the day, you might wish to try serving damson preserves with pork or game.
Jonathan Billinger / Geograph.co.uk / 2010 / CC BY-SA 2.0
