My mother always made rhubarb compote with dried blood plums from our garden. Clearly one has MILLIONS of blood plums if one has a tree, so all summer long she patiently watched US halve and de-stone them, and then up they'd go onto the carport roof on a big while tray that was actually the side of an old stove in its first life. Netting? no problem - she used an old recycled ballet practice skirt. LOL.
And thus we'd have blood plums all winter long when no one else had yummy fruit. And she make a compote with cinnamon sticks and rhubarb. If there were any warmish days or special guests she'd do the same, only add a cup of port wine and some gelatine and make a stunningly impressive molded jelly dessert.
Thanks for dredging up some lovely old memories.
Aw bless. That's a nice one. They sure knew how to improvise in those days....
My grandmother would do all manner of fruits, in old margarine containers in the freezer.