A Winter Solstice Stroll in the Fernmount Food Forest

It is always cheering to suddenly finding an unexpected harvest. 

Last week's rain plumped up some Cherry Guavas. I wasn't expecting this harvest for a while.  I allow a few self-seeded bushes to thrive because they tend to fruit at slightly different times, probably depending on location but perhaps because of genetics.

Self seeded White Guava

This White Guava has a slight lemony flavour. 

Like all Guavas it needs to be harvested just as it turns from rock hard to slightly soft otherwise it is over ripe. This small tree has been in fruit for a few months but only producing one or two fruit a week until now. The birds are also harvesting this tree.

Red Cherry Guava

This Red Cherry Guava tree has produced small fruit until now. The fruit were almost golf-ball size and delicious. I picked some to stew with sugar. The hard little seeds are easily swallowed. Perhaps a plant breeder will develop a seedless variety?

 

Our original Custard Apple tree will ripen its fruit as the weather warms. 

I find the Cherimoya, with almost identical fruit, is a better match to this climate. I prefer the Cherimoya's fruit which has a slight lemony tang. It is also more prolific in this climate. However, this Custard Apple's fruit is a little more advanced than our productive Cherimoya.

Broad Beans

A small patch of Broad Bean seedlings is well away. 

I have a patch of Snowpeas alongside. I needed to clear an overgrown Cassava bush to access this sunny, north facing spot. A dash of lime and a bucket of worm-farm soil were dug in before planting the seed.