Quote of the Day - 1/20/2012

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In the earliest periods of human history, 4 foods were recognizably important. In the North there were apples and honey.  In the south there were olives and grapes. - Fruits and Berries (The American Horticultural Society Illustrated Encyclopedia of Gardening)

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Do we associate fruits and berries with locations in our modern world? I do…but it isn’t north/south as much as type of place where they most likely grow. Here are my associations: 

  • Blueberries in close proximity to rocky forests
  • Apples with locations that have crisp temperatures (not overwhelmingly hot)
  • Oranges and bananas with the tropics
  • Strawberries of the short and sweet season before the heat of summer comes in any place that has well drained soil

 

Of course, agriculture is a business that responds to consumers.

 

  1. Food is shipped all over the place so we have a blueberry season in North America in the summer and then our grocery stores have blueberries from South America in January.
  2. Cultivars of popular fruits and berries have been developed to produce more than once during the season; strawberries are available all through the year although they are the still the least expensive during the short and sweet local season.
  3. Bananas and apples can now be suspended in storage for longer than ever before; our fresh fruit may have been picked months before it is eaten.
  4. A thin film (hopefully edible since it does not wash off and we do eat the skins of many fruits) is placed on many fruits and it keeps them fresh longer after they are removed from storage.

 

In European history, the North’s apples and honey and the South’s olives and grapes are powerful associations. Now that most of us are not farmers, we experience the availability of our food more indirectly and those associations are blurring. This year I plan to make weekly visits to a local farm stand as soon as the season starts to ‘go local’ for produce --- to be more linked to the food sources in my immediate vicinity.

I still appreciate the fresh blueberries of January from South America.