Wild Persimmons and Autumn Color (catch more of it here)
I've never grown pumpkins (have you?), but this time of year the persimmon trees are full of tiny fruits that are the perfect shape and color—just a whole lot tinier. Unfortunately I think they taste like soap, but the sheep and donkeys—and even some of the dogs—are crazy about them and will literally stand under the trees waiting for more to fall. Best of all, the persimmons flourish year in and year out without any help from me.
© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the fallen fruit foodie farm blog where we may not get any trick-or-treaters since we're several miles from the nearest neighbor, but at least there are always plenty of spooky bats and spiders.
They look beautiful. We are hoping to plant some fruit trees in a few years, sorry to hear they taste of soap.
ReplyDeleteThey do taste like soap -- but if you add enough sugar to them, they make really yummy breakfast bread! :)
ReplyDeleteThis made me realize I've never once seen persimmons growing!
ReplyDeleteI grew Pumpkins this year. My first try. I had at least six or seven buds turn into fruit. For some reason, all but one actually rotted on the vine. I have my pretty pumpkin that I grew sitting on my front steps. I hope to grow them again next year. :)
ReplyDeleteHappy Halloween Blessings (a little late)
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They are pretty, I guess soap flavor is a real upgrade for those four legged friends of ours, lol!
ReplyDeleteOh, that's what they are! At first glance they reminded me of cherry tomatoes, but on a tree? Oh, city girl that I am...
ReplyDeleteI grow sweet pie pumpkins each year. They are smaller and their flesh is more tender for baking or eating like you would winter squash.
ReplyDeleteI am not that fond of persimmons, but I do love my pumpkins! Great photo.
Love persimmons, wish we could grow them around here, can I come and stand under your tree?
ReplyDeleteThat is a lovely picture. No place for persimmons in my Chicago urban garden, but I thoroughly enjoyed seeing yours, and love your blog! Keep posting.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen wild persimmons. They are very pretty. We had abundant jack-o-lantern pumpkins this year. It was great fun lining up their different shapes and sizes along our rock wall. They have such personalities, even before the carving.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful photograph. We grew Knucklehead pumpkins for jack-o-lanterns for our grandsons this year. These pumpkins have "warts" on them and we thought they would look spooky. While the kids liked the warts, they weren't crazy about the pumpkins for jack-o-lanterns. Next year it'll be the more traditional "punkin".
ReplyDeleteWell, I for one would like to see a donkey eating a persimmon. I do believe that would brighten up my whole day.
ReplyDeleteMy mom has a persimmon tree, but since she lives in the Dallas area, it's 50-50 whether it gets cold enough for them to really ripen, as they need a freeze. We make them into quick breads-- very yummy.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I grew pumpkins on accident last year. We had a 'decorative' pumpkin on our porch that didn't get taken care of in time... it froze, then thawed, then got blown off the porch table and into the yard, which is when I finally threw what could still be picked up onto the compost. The next year: pumpkin plants in the front yard. We actually got three pumpkins that grew from the two vines, but they rotted out for some reason before turning orange.
I had 5 terrific Jack o'Lantern pumpkins this year. They grew as volunteers from the pumpin tossed into the garden from last year. They were easy to grow. I gave 2 away and carved the remaining 3. I'm so glad I did as they brought a great bit of joy to the littlest Trick or Treaters who came to my door!
ReplyDeleteHuh. I've never seen wild persimmons.
ReplyDeleteI'm familiar with two kinds of persimmons: hachiya and fuyu. You can eat fuyus when they're crunchy and they taste mild and sweet, not soapy at all. The hachiya type are very astringent and they need to sit on a warm countertop until they're absolutely mushy - only then do they lose their soapy taste and become sweet.
I grew a winter squash/pumpkin called Long Island Cheese this year. It tastes so much better than the small pie pumpkin that I won't be bothered with them again! It is an heirloom type. The only drawback is one squash will yield 5 to 7 pies! There is a smaller heirloom that I want to try next.
ReplyDeleteI now have enough stored to make 60 or 70 pies..........a bit much for two people!
well those in the photos are not ripe, so they would indeed taste awful. If they are plump and firm, American persimmon are not ripe. They need to be very wrinkled (around here in Virginia does not happen until well after Thanksgiving), and then they are - oh! - so sweet and luscious.
ReplyDeletefind here http://esszimmer.wordpress.com/2009/12/14/sonne-im-dezember-kakis/ pictures of kaki fruit (as they call persimmons there) in northern italy, where i was in mid december. a guy at a restaurant told us, they grow them more or less in every garden and have been doing so for generations in that area (which i was not aware at all - i thought they don't grow in europe at all!). but he did not know of any classic recipes including kaki, and we only had a rather boring creamy dessert with some mushed kaki on top. anyway - a blissful sight, such a leafless tree with those beautiful fruits.
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