GETTING MAD
A couple have been continuing to come down to the Garland community garden and stealing, yes stealing, jujubes from a jujube tree and likely other produce as well.
We share our produce with the Good Samaritans of Garland. We realize many people are having a hard time making ends meet. That is why we provide the contact information for Good Sam’s throughout the garden. They are much better able to provide the full array of nutrition needed for a family than the produce from our garden which is limited.
We have a sign posted right by the jujube tree asking people to not pick produce in the garden You can’t miss it. But there is more. A few days ago, Charlie saw a woman picking jujubes and stopped in to tell her to please not pick the fruit. She was certainly not contrite regarding her thievery. Charlie got the license plate number of the car. Then, Saturday. when I was walking down to the garden with the mower to mow at about 7:30 in the morning, I saw the car pulling out from the garden again. They had been picking jujubes again! Even after Charlie asked them not to
How do I know? I know because I steward the jujube tree and like a shepherd with her flock, I know every branch of that tree that has fruit. This year it was loaded. I bought that tree 3 years ago and paid $50 for it. (I recently noticed on the Internet they sell now for $59.) I have watered, trimmed and taken care of that tree for three years. Jujube is a tree that is native to Asia. It is very drought tolerant and its nutritious fruits are similar to dates when ripe and like crispy apples when green. One of my reasons for planting it down at the garden was to introduce people in our community to this tree and its fruit. Outside of our Asian community, few in our area have even seen a jujube.
We will have a few (7) small Jujube trees to give away at our September 19th event. This tree spreads by underground runners--not unlike the blackberry. If you plant one jujube tree and do nothing, you will have an orchard in 15 years.
The Jujube is roughly the size of a golf ball, but slightly oblong in shape. Although many say the ripe jujube tastes like a date, my taste buds tell me it tastes more or less like i imagine construction paper to taste. However, I find the green jujubes to be delicious. They remind me of Granny Smith apples but not nearly so tart. Of course, the best way to consume them is all by themselves, but I imagine they would make a great jujube pie.
GETTING EVEN
Charlie and I went down to the garden with a ladder and picked just about 95% of all the jujubes left on the tree. This yield represents about 50% of the total yield this year for the tree. The thieves got the rest. Still, I am happy for these as I’m sure it will be enough for those who want to sample something new at our September 19th event.