I just noticed the following on our HOS Arboretum site:

"The irony of the times we live in today is that the most popular fruit in Mexican supermarkets is the Red Delicious apple from Washington, and in American supermarkets it is the banana from Mexico. Growing good fruit at home helps us appreciate the long history and culture of our incredible temperate fruits. When the season comes on for your favorite fruits, it makes the waiting for them all the sweeter, knowing you've grown them yourself, like so many before you."

Seemed that bore repeating " title="Wink" />

Thanks Tahir, I apparently agree with you, and don't suspect the statistics you give are any different 'over here.' I grew up on fruit (thanks Dad), and to this day remain one of few my age who not only feels constantly attracted to it but can eat it nearly nonstop without 'digestive repercussions.' Yesterday a daughter offered me a large (California I suspect) strawberry from a plastic container left over from a family gathering. I declined! She finally tempted me with one... tasteless~ ...and likely loaded with more 'spray' than anything in the house!

I grew up in a fenced double-lot in Portland, Oregon. Surrounded by walnut and cherry trees, we'd also follow the local U-pick fruit through the seasons. Strawberries, Raspberries, Cherries (we had Royal Ann and pie at home, but Dad liked canned Bing's), Blueberry's and Peaches. About the time school started my relatives from 'out here' would arrive with a 'real box' of crisp country-grown old fashioned Gravenstein apples (with the largest apple on top for me)! We'd eat on those (with replacement boxes) into Football season (our "Football" that is). Stored them in an old refrigerator in the basement that didn't suck the moisture from them, and whenever someone went down after one, they'd better bring up enough for everybody!

I've had the hardest time doing the same with my children... As a neighbor, and largest strawberry grower in the region explained to me; Oregon kids under 12 can no longer legally pick in the fields; liability insurance for "U-pickers" is astronomical; and the multitude of labor regulations and requirements, such as posting "Water" in 8 different languages added up to why he plowed under nearly a hundred acres over a decade ago. We last drove to our State capital to U-pick strawberries, likely 40 miles! And it was sad to witness uncontrolled children running across and robbing from other rows while their parents left as many berry's as they picked... I could see why they charged twice what I'd ever paid… and that sparked me to finally grow my own.

Even with house lots decreasing in size people can grow fruit -- just look at Joe Real! We were biking through a nearby town last summer and were instantly drawn to a familiar looking yard. This small front yard of a city home actually had fruit and fruit trees! We stopped on their sidewalk hoping someone would emerge; the kids wanted to know if they could taste their raspberries, I wanted to know what had inspired them to plant fruit trees, even figs? No one appeared, so without snatching any berries we stood there comparing their yard with their neighbors. "Look how much room they've got over there" one of mine exclaimed! "And not even one tree!" ...I don't know ~

I worked in the Grocery department of a large chain store during high school and college; I'd hang out exclusively in the produce department! ...partially because they had a phone I could call my girlfriend at will ... but mainly because I loved fruit! As did all the produce guys (and it kept them from the cash registers), we'd feast in the back room. I remember one hot day 'Steve' called me over as I arrived, "There're fresh blueberries in the cooler." Nuff said -- I nearly drank 3 baskets before that shift, then several more throughout it... Grocery stores occasionally get good fruit, especially in season, and, if they're a small enough operation to buy locally. But I agree, most of what they want too-much for now days is "pathetic, flaccid tasteless" fare...

But can you imagine what it's like in my yard when the fruit's on? - Maybe you can! But at times it's almost depressing... we've waited all year for (instance) figs, and we can't eat them fast enough. And, there's very little (if any) fruit that tastes anything near fresh, no matter how it's preserved. And I must admit, as of late there seems a decent rotational selection available at our local stores year round. And we'll always prefer fresh tangerines to canned pears, or bananas to applesauce, or fresh mangos to dried anything... It's a hard call, and a difficult battle when the store bought stuff just 'appears' on the counter. Guess if times get tough, or prices go much higher, it won't just 'appear' -- and preserved anything will taste better than nothing - let alone it's fresh alternative!

I'm about to eat my first Zucchini of the season! And since I'm actually home alone - I might! The raspberries remain thick, though the strawberries are dwindling - but the sweetest remain. We'll be squeezing figs pretty soon, and closely watching for that translucent color change of the Japanese plums! ...And I'll begin to work on my seasonal 'fruit belly' - but that burns off quick at wood-splitting time. The Cycle of Live - Jump In

PS: I'd wish you a Happy Fourth! ... but that didn't go down so well in your neck of the woods

Did I just learn a new word, or a new name..?

Zucchini (IPA: /zu'kini/, in North American and Australian English) or courgette (IPA: /k??'??t/, in New Zealand and British English) is a small summer squash. Its Scientific name is Cucurbita pepo (a species which also includes other squash). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zucchini

And: "Once we start producing I don't know what we'll do" -- I do, but don't ask! I was gorging on store-bought cherries yesterday, but nothing like 'the real things.' I'd given up on cherries after growing two miss-marked nursery trees, then witnessing the slow death of a potential pollinator. Strange thing, the woods around me are full of wild, or seedling cherry trees! Giant, healthy ones, with lots of babies scattered around. They make great peeled walking sticks (a hobby of mine), but trying to get a hybrid productive variety to both live and produce was too much for me... so they're 'now figs.'

Funny, I didn't eat any Courgette's (Zukes) yesterday... They're doing good, but still a bit small. With a couple more days of heat like we're having (around 90, Fahrenheit), there’ll soon be enough for all of us... not just me. I watered everything good this morning, and may be hiding out again inside to beat the heat. Pretty mornings and beautiful evenings ~ just too hot in-between

"Hot? It hasn't stopped raining here since May, the wettest summer since records began, struggling to break 65 degrees"

Yes (we are), and much dryer than usual... We've a respite at the moment, down to the 'low eighties.' We're expected to reach nearly 100 by the middle of this week Actually, it's unbelievably nice out right now; too hot to work on a project ... but too nice to be inside... I've just come in from playing (and full of raspberries!).

Much of our nation's Southwest has been sweltering, and that weather's apparently headed east... far enough east and it may become your Summer

Hey Tahir... we've got your rain! ...or maybe we're intercepting some of it? But when an Oregonian's happy to see rain - you know it's been hot & dry!

You had me researching Essex, England. I don't know if it's all the BBC Britcoms we watch (we can nearly understand the language!), or simply our nations historical ties, or, my occasional disgust with the politics of this country... but if I were to ever cash it in and move, "England" would be the first place I'd consider. I envision it much like Washington (State) or BC Canada, if more 'refined.' I doubt we could afford any of those English country cottages everyone swoons over, especially with the momentary Dollar to Pound exchange rate. But I'm a city kid at heart (my wife too) and other than our countrified kids, could likely live in a well organized small town. Though I've never been to Europe (or the Isles), my idea of a dream vacation would be checking out places like yours, with some castles in-between!

Ate my first Japanese plum of the season a couple days ago... I dodged whatever 'worm' had caused it to ripen ahead of the others. But my wife brought home bananas from the store yesterday... Other than raspberries, we're still somewhat fruit-starved. I'd also eaten a Transparent apple too, with a poor, to nearly non-existent set of those this year? It's a strange fruit-set in my neighborhood; yesterday I looked over the neighbors fig tree -- no figs! …with no apparent reason? Figs are constant bearers for us, and we've the usual crop. They've also a yard lined with a dozen large, mature blueberry plants... my kids found one berry! They've been consistent bearers too -- as we've counted on their crop for our home supply...

Our Kiwi's are far fewer too, but those that set are sizing up nicely. The neighbor’s fuzzy kiwi vines have died of neglect… no water or mulch during our heat – they’re toast; though they wanted me to confirm it. I'll have my first hand-full of Hardy Kiwis' off a newly transplanted vine from an Uncle. It's always a buzz to watch the first fruit of a new-to-you variety develop. We've got our largest crop ever of Persian Mulberries. I'm told the birds love them! They're changing from red to black right now ... with no predation so far. I'll have to let my Iranian friend know how they're doing; he said, “In Iran everyone has a pair of mulberry trees ("Persian" of course) growing in their front yard; a male and female.” They'll actually have a “Marriage ceremony” for the trees at planting time! He's also a Fig Fanatic! But like me … is likely buried in them by now!

Well, that's the news’s here in Yamhill County... and I'd best stop reading about Essex... cause my question's would soon go beyond the purview of our topic -- like, are you an "Essex Man?" ...What a rich cultural history, I envy that. Ours was lost with the Native People... and with less than 200 years of 'our' history around here - we often feel like Pioneers -- like the gold guy atop our state capital! ...now onto a cucumber sandwich - if named after your Earl! " title="Laughing" />