Pick loquat/Carlos Pueblo

Pick loquat/Carlos Pueblo

Last week in a morning, I accompanied with Edda, my pet dog favorite, and her two owners to walk down to the neighboring subdivision. I got a re-informed of loquat fruit from Kumquat when we passed by a loquat tree with lovely fruits on its branches. I have always loved loquat fruit ever since my childhood. We didn't have the knowledge to grow the tree on our small yard yet couldn't afford to purchase such fruits in the market. I was very surprised when I first came to the United States that there were so many loquat trees in the South. No body eats them. Gradually, I found out that there are a few trees do produce eatable fruits yet still not marketable due to plenty of other fruits available in the market. This one tree is one of them. I filled my pocket and ate them on my way to several streets on the subdivision. I thought of it when I came home and decided to go back to harvest the rest. First, I did get the permission to pick them from the owner of the tree.

I worried about the big ones on the tree higher than my reach; therefore, I thought it over overnight to bring a ladder stand and a small rake to help me. It was very satisfactory and safe and I had a reminder of my youth again. Loquat has the blossom at the end of a year and the orange color fruits are ready to be picked. Only a brief time or it will be dried and shrink and that is the reason why the small animals do not notice. I saw loquat boxes on fruits stands on the streets of Japan and many European nations. Their sizes are usually larger than those neighborhood trees in Houston area.

There is a skin or layer on the surface of the fruit can be easily peeled off. Put the juicy interior into the mouth and spit out seeds. Actually, it is not that much and I get the taste. Sometimes, the fruits are not ripe and would hurt my decay teeth. It was very popular in Taiwan when I was grown up.

In summary, I do have several pick fruits throughout a year, the loquat in early spring, followed by the fig in late June, the persimmon in the fall, citric fruits of our own in the late autumn and repeat them again in the new year. I also have some luffa to pick on our back yard in compete with squirrels.