Sharing our bounty

I am very lucky to live surrounded by vineyards and orchards. At the very end of my driveway, across the road, is a winery. Across the highway, there are multiple produce stands. And we are able to participate in a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program that delivers locally grown fruit and vegetables to our doorstep every Thursday afternoon.

I’ve already written about how our neighbours have a small orchard and garden in their backyard (see ‘Am I a Cat or a Quail’) which we get to enjoy, and we also benefit from their generousity. They always say anything that grows on our side of the fence is ours to use. We often get pumpkins and grapes, apricots and apples. It’s lovely.

But there is also another delightful aspect to living in a place that has agricultural abundance: the passing of fruit from one household to another.

Yesterday I met with a few neighbours, and at the end of the conversation I heard that familiar summer question – Do you want some cherries? I have more than we can eat. I said sure, went home for a container and by the time I got back my neighbour was handing out cherries to anyone who was in their yard or on the front porch. We all got cherries.

Last week it was apricots. Each time I’d visit my parents Mom would say, so and so dropped by with some apricots. Do you want some? And I’d walk home with a bag or bowl of apricots.

And there is nothing weird about that. In my town, you constantly see people walking with a little bag of this fruit or that. Sometimes you’ll even be handed fruit by strangers saying that they just have way more fruit on their tree than they can use.

Our community Facebook group often has posts asking people to come and pick their fruit. It’s great.

Judging from my neighbour’s orchard I’m guessing there will be a bounty of apples this year, and I’m looking forward to Peter calling me across the fence. Do you want some apples? Sure, I’ll go get a container. 

Although, I just had a thought. My other neighbour – the winery across the road from us. They’ve never called across the street asking me if I wanted a bottle of wine. Oh well. I won’t hold that against them.

Here’s to sharing our bounty!