On a recent bike ride I was overjoyed to see the efforts people were making in an attempt to protect their fruit harvest. With possums, white cockatoos and Rosella’s all competing for food in the neighbourhood people of all ages were going to extreme lengths to protect their bounty. For anyone with a love of fresh fruit grown by their own crop the efforts are entirely worth it. It takes after all a whole year for the fruit to grow and then the harvest lasts merely weeks or at most a month.
Not far from me, one particular tree caught my eye. It appeared from a distance like a large human eating monster, ready to multiply and take over the streets. But on closer inspection the ingenuity and effort of its maker struck me with admiration.
This apple tree has been lovingly protected with large hessian sacks sewn together. The elderly resident who created the hessian protection tells me that for many years the neighbouring house had boasted a large fruit tree which the birds always favoured above the apple tree. When the neighbours house was sold the tree was cut down and all the birds migrated to his apples.
Our visit brings delight and a harvest of apples is donated. Apple crumble is secured on our weekly menu.
At a nearby home a pear tree has matured and its residents have keenly covered its fruit.
From behind the bird netting healthy beautifully formed pears nest.
Bird netting has kept the birds away but not the cherry slug which has profoundly consumed the pears leaves, and yet the harvest seems unaffected with plenty of pears in sight.
This resident has made the most of the nature strip and planted olives which need no protection at all.
Olive grove detail.
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