AAH autumn - the time to reap nature's bounty. Not without reason do we talk about all that "mellow fruitfulness". It's when we gather in the harvest and reap the benefits of the summer while, traditionally, preparing for sparser winter days ahead. There are events to look forward to between now and Christmas. On this and the following pages we look at the some of the fun to come and - that most traditional of autumnal activities - preserving.

THE actual origins of the art of fruit preserving are shrouded in the mists of time and the subject of much debate. What nobody argues about, however, is the effectiveness of the method and its subsequent taste and fragrance.

It may be known as a cream tea - but it's not a proper cream tea without a liberal layer of jam between scone and said dairy matter.

And who doesn't ladle a liberal helping of pickle or chutney onto the side of the ploughman's plate with anything less than - well relish?

Generally, it's believed the practice probably came out of the Middle East centuries ago where the essential ingredient, cane sugar, grew naturally.

Crusaders are thought to have introduced jam to Europe and they were hugely popular by the late Middle Ages, jams, jellies and fruit conserves were popular there.

And yet, one of the earliest known recipe books, written by Marcus Gavius Apicius in the first century, includes recipes for fruit preserves.

Another theory cites marmalade as being created in 1561 by doctors to Mary, Queen of Scots, who mixed orange and crushed sugar in a bid to keep her seasickness at bay - Marie est malade (Mary is sick).

It's more likely that Portugal has something to do with the origins of this particular delicacy as marmelo is the Portuguese word for quince.

Centuries ago, marmalades were fit mainly for kings; records detailing the sumptuous banquets of Louis XIV, always ended with marmalades and jellies made with fruit from the king's own gardens and served in silver dishes.

By the late 17th century books on jam-making were being published and the art was no less part of the battle for survival for the early American settlers.

They would preserve their fruits with honey, molasses or maple sugar, extracting pectin from apple parings to thicken jellies.

Jam is to the Women's Institute what clotted is to cream. Even though, as the phrase goes, the organisation is "not all jam and Jerusalem", you don't get far into the subject of making jam without thinking of the WI.

The link goes back to its formation in 1915, during the First World War, when submarines blockaded ships bringing food into Britain.

As part of the effort to grow as much food as possible, the Agricultural Organisations Society encouraged the new WIs to do their bit in preserving excess produce by increasing the jam-making, preserving, bottling and pickling.

Many WIs set up fruit bottling centres and, from 1917 to 1919, branches were allocated sugar by the Board of Agriculture to preserve the fruit.

Members were, again, called up into preserving action for the Second World War and organised a Co-operative Fruit Preservation Scheme. The National Federation of WIs (NFWI) says that, in 1940, members made 1,631 tons of preserves.

When rationing began, the Government again allocated sugar to the WI so it could continue turning excess produce into jam which, as before, went into the national food supply.

More than 5,000 WI preservation centres, in private houses, farm kitchens, outbuildings, village halls or school kitchens were set up and the women worked voluntarily, only having their running costs covered.

According to the NFWI, more than 5,3000 tons of fruit were preserved between 1940 and 1945.

It was this effort for which the WI became renowned and the association with jam has remained.

So it's not surprising that any book compiled by a WI will have a rich abundance of recipes for jams and preserves. Below are two which appeared in a book specially produced by the Much Marcle, Munsley & District and Putley and Woolhope branches for an apple festival in Herefordshire more than a decade ago.

Mereworth jam centre, 1943.

Celebrating the fruits of their wartime labours.

A WI member bottles some jam for the war effort.

Preparing excess fruit for jam.

Jam on the production line in Yorkshire!

Photos courtesy of the National Federation of Women's Institutes.

Quince and Crabapple Jelly

5lbs/2.2kg windfall or crabapples, 4lbs/1.8kg quince, fallen (or fruit from japonica), pared rind and juice of two lemons, sugar.

Wash apples and quinces and remove blemishes. Put in pan with cold water to the fruit's level. Simmer until pulpy.

Turn into a jelly bag and drip into a bowl overnight, not touching the bag or fruit within.

Measure juice and allow 1lb/0.5kg of sugar per pint of juice. Add lemon rind and strained juice. Bring to boil slowly, boil rapidly, skimming occasionally until there is a set.

Mrs Jennifer Dereham, Woolhope.

Plum and Apple Chutney.

3.5lb/1.6kg plums, 4lb/1.8kg peeled apples, 1lb/0.5kg red tomatoes, 2lb/0.9kg seedless raisins, 1lb/0.5 onions, 3lb/1.4kg demerara sugar, 4ozs/113g preserved ginger, 3oz/85g salt, 0.5oz/14g garlic, 0.5oz/14g chillies, 4dspn mixed spice, 2pts/2.2lts vinegar.

Wash and stone plums. Wash and slice tomatoes. Put in pan with vinegar and cook until tender. Add apples, quartered, cored and peeled and onions, raisins, garlic, ginger and chillies (all chopped small) with sugar, salt and spice. Cook very slowly stirring constantly for about two hours. Pot and cover.

Miss H Pocknell, Kynaston.