Saturday, January 23, 2010

magic mangoes, going bananas

Yes that right...magic mangoes! As soon as the platter of mangoes is cleared, more are ripe. So far I've harvested 90+....and we've already eaten about 60, this can't be normal. Verging on excessive, but wait, the bananas I harvested on Christmas eve, are ripening...about 125+ on the one rack! We're making mango and banana sorbet, smoothies, fruit salad with the addition on Native Australian finger limes and mint. Tomorrow I'm making the traditional family Banana Bread (although I think it's safe to say we the first in the family to use homegrown bananas). Bananas go well with cereal of course, and they're just great on the go..the mangoes make it out to the beach, yum! OK, the list goes on!!
Out the front of the house there must be 50 tamarillos hanging on the trees, I'm still looking for ways to use them, other then just eating them fresh. The lemon tree has little lemons growing...and there's a couple blood oranges this year too. All of the citrus are OK, but not thriving currently. Guavas are forming on the tree, although I'm having a hard time getting rid of the scale infestation. Our mulberry tree seemed to want to fruit for much longer than the other local trees, maybe it has to do with being above the frost line. Looks like the passionfruit is about to start flowering/fruiting again :) I love watching the progress...and seeing my family enjoy the fruit! The little one thinks once theres only a couple left, Mom can just pick some more...and it's true; there's still another 60+ on the trees! It's amazing how a 5 year old tree can fruit with such intensity (there's 10 trees..they didn't all grow on one tree)