Pickin’ Persimmons
I took my mom out for a fall harvest adventure. Well, ok, we just went across the street to my neighbor’s yard. He had given my mom some persimmons that he picked from his tree. When mom said that they were great, he said she could come over to get some more.
While it was I who got my neighbor into growing fruit trees, I had to give it up the endeavor. Almost all of the fruit trees I planted died due to wood borers (insects that drilled into the wood). The few that are still holding on to life are weak and any fruit they produce are quickly stolen by the squirrels.
Mom was quite astonished with how loaded his persimmon tree was. And his fruit were large and in very good condition. He also had some lemon and lime trees in containers, again, full of fruit. His wildly growing grapes are done for the season, but the kiwis vines still had fruit hanging. My neighbor says the stray cats living around his yard keeps the squirrels in check. The cats that I take care of at my yard hardly glance at the squirrels. I guess mine are too well fed and domesticated.
Most of the low hanging persimmons were picked off. I had to use my neighbor’s step ladder to get at some of the fruit at medium height. The best looking ones were way up and out of reach though. My neighbor offered to get his tall ladder, but we’ve already picked over a dozen and mom said that was plenty. She was quite giddy from her haul. Mom said persimmons of this size and quality would probably have a street price of 2-for-$1.