The No Sloe Hunt

Russet and I found this small flock of sheep on our walk this morning - there was a wire fence between us. But she took no notice of them whatsoever!
I wanted to check on the sloe bushes, where we picked pounds last year and made sloe gin for presents - and for the drinks cupboard!
But this year, there are no sloes at all!! It seems that this is a good year for apples, but not plums or sloes.
I wonder if anyone else has noticed this!?