lately, i have been doing a little research and a little reading on native foods of the south and i read an article by a local food writer. this got me to thinking about our little trees out back. it was a warm sunny day and i headed out into the back yard with a bucket to try and gather some to see if they were worth the effort. ![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ2qneJ4zx5ldNTRJQgUs3gRcNWwoD-Z8ToG1PVplAuIXc8T4FIsTD9hc0Vla13iltA5vSneAUolyYU57cjBeYS50EwdZhIlvRL0fajMDx9iFYIJVHdHO8nLMFelYUUkFRQ26vLKv2Rww/s400/DSC06755.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilLrNtBhivvgK9vslhvjgIdAquOZjKi1dztW-YezxGzPgixwsQbabBBDiN8H04H4X78SncGYMAY7OIrnXmofGiPLTIrLmR9VfB65h1misJf9wSK6OyiK7ly4y3pdIwDOf9EO3_tNeC9PA/s400/DSC06759.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRW6gUYvc2_yHrrS10C_71sGmGTVtExMzluaresfjqR2dZfZDBATA91M5OJUXDKpbQd1vzts7PEuw08a3xpXkXwp94yvzSc4n7c5uZWaoMd-hbOc8bQKOolv1iQCwaBzXaL07axGYgNes/s400/DSC06766.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4dfQKd2D0YccgtDYv4PqY1wLSbozCklIpotdQpbXpx1jc6sEgkcZg9aeDHYZj2GklT5COnGz-smE1xvUdRYQHzo9iMTZ3V8IzPi7JqcL8GZwr-2770yAfP0FiMVL2-HBTlCLDUyiE-FQ/s400/DSC06760.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ2qneJ4zx5ldNTRJQgUs3gRcNWwoD-Z8ToG1PVplAuIXc8T4FIsTD9hc0Vla13iltA5vSneAUolyYU57cjBeYS50EwdZhIlvRL0fajMDx9iFYIJVHdHO8nLMFelYUUkFRQ26vLKv2Rww/s400/DSC06755.jpg)
as you can see, this little
tree has quite a few
still on the branches.
as they ripen and soften,
they fall to the ground
where they can be
gathered.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilLrNtBhivvgK9vslhvjgIdAquOZjKi1dztW-YezxGzPgixwsQbabBBDiN8H04H4X78SncGYMAY7OIrnXmofGiPLTIrLmR9VfB65h1misJf9wSK6OyiK7ly4y3pdIwDOf9EO3_tNeC9PA/s400/DSC06759.jpg)
if you walk through the neighborhood,
you will find persimmon trees growing
wild. they have most likely sprouted from
seeds dropped by the various animals
eating the fruits.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRW6gUYvc2_yHrrS10C_71sGmGTVtExMzluaresfjqR2dZfZDBATA91M5OJUXDKpbQd1vzts7PEuw08a3xpXkXwp94yvzSc4n7c5uZWaoMd-hbOc8bQKOolv1iQCwaBzXaL07axGYgNes/s400/DSC06766.jpg)
one of the ripe fruits on the ground just
waiting to be picked up. darry likes to
eat them and he is not much help if i am
trying to gather a bunch. the fruits can be
put into a food mill where it is a little work to
press them through, separating the pulp from
the skins and seeds.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4dfQKd2D0YccgtDYv4PqY1wLSbozCklIpotdQpbXpx1jc6sEgkcZg9aeDHYZj2GklT5COnGz-smE1xvUdRYQHzo9iMTZ3V8IzPi7JqcL8GZwr-2770yAfP0FiMVL2-HBTlCLDUyiE-FQ/s400/DSC06760.jpg)
another tree in the neighborhood
where i can easily gather the ripe
fruit. ours are so high up that we
have to wait for them to fall or tap
the trunk with a mallet to make
them fall and then gather them.