On the Fruit Hunt

While I was gone to the farmers' market this morning, Adam attacked the verge with his scythe. The fenced-in overgrown area around the out-building needs hacking back. There are two or three trees in there worth keeping, but nothing else. It's volunteer pine and gum trees, and brambles. (Click here to see an aerial view of the farm; this section is #6 on that plan.)

One tree we'll keep is just to the right of Adam in the photo above. It's a pretty little crabapple tree with lovely blooms in spring.
Anyway, Adam whacked away ... or scythed away ... and did quite a fine job. He started in the corner closest to the pasture along the fence line.

He avoided the larger trees along the house lot, but worked deep into the weedy area, mostly filled with brambles.

Here's another little fruit tree (of some sort) we'll keep.

Doesn't the scythe do a great job? Just before I arrived home a heavy thunderstorm with wind and heavy rain came through, and stopped his work. But now we can walk back there are take out some of the larger stuff.

And speaking of clearing vegetation and looking for fruit, we meandered to the overgrown orchard to see what we could see. I wanted to stroll outside; it's cooler and feels just a tiny bit like autumn. Here's the fence containing the orchard.

All along the inside of that fence is a massive grape arbor. That's rather exciting! Adam will research about how to prune and care for it. We didn't notice much fruit, so clearly it needs tending in order to produce better in later years.

I found a little grape.

It was yummy.
We found another fruit (actually two of these) and had no idea. It's not ripe. It's not a grape (haha) -- it's a bit smaller than an avocado.

Adam plucked a few leaves from the plant and brought it inside. Quickly he discovered that it's ...

... passion fruit! (Click on that link to see a photo of the blossom, which is striking.)Truly! Can you believe it? I'm wild with wondering what other treasures Mr. M. (the previous, now-deceased owner) planted back in that orchard, that we'll discover this fall when we're clearing it out. It's a large space, about 30 feet x 100 feet. It could be quite spectacular. Oh, I hope so!