Gooseberries

When we were kids growing up, one of the things we enjoyed most was pinching ?goosegogs?, or should I say gooseberries from the house with the big garden. It was every child?s? duty under the age of 10 to pinch their share-hech we got chased (and I?m sure that was all part of the fun), but the one thing I remember was being the only one who ever eat the gooseberries! The other boys used them as ammo for catapults, or to throw at girls on the swings. I eat mine- all of them!! sometimes making my tummy ache. So where did all the gooseberries go? You rarely see them in the shops, only occasionally at a good fruit markets. Are they in danger of disappearing? Next year I plan to grow my own, and accept that by doing so, I?m also obliged to allow any would be ?goosegog? thief to their fare share. Any one with tips on growing gooseberries please contact me. For now I?m going to open the recipe book to plan next years fruit puddings!