By Their Fruit Ye Shall Know Them

I had absolutely no idea as a little girl that I had it so nice; visiting my Grandma and Grandpa P* on their fruit farm and having unlimited access to fresh apples, pears, cherries, raspberries, apricots, and strawberries. I am sure I am missing some fruit that they grew but these are the fruits that I really remember having and loving. But again, I had no idea that twenty years in the future I'd have to pay an arm and leg for a tiny cup of these fruits! I walk by them in the grocery store and remember those days of sitting in the orchard with my siblings and cousins, having more fruit than we could possibly eat on our own, and coming home with fruit juice stains on our clothes. Ah, those were the days! I miss them! It is just wrong that I have to pay so much for those delicious fruits now!

My cousins lived across the orchard and down the hill from my grandma and grandpa's home. So close, yet so hard to travel! My grandpa owned a few horses that roamed those orchards and it was the scariest thing to make that treck through the orchard, not knowing exactly where those horses were. I still am a little apprehensive about those big animals. I don't think I ever braved crossing those orchards on my own. I always went with my older sister or cousins.

My Grandpa P* died about four years ago and my Grandma P* died fairly soon after that. I miss them so much! I remember my Grandpa always working on his farm, sitting on his tractor and spraying those fruit trees. Actually, I am not sure if I really remember that or if it is in my mind because of this great picture of my Grandpa on his tractor, spraying the trees. That picture was on the wall of their home for so long it has left a strong impression on my mind. Either way, I know he worked long hours on his fruit farm. And I know from multiple testimonies that when he sold a bushel of fruit, he'd fill the bushel to overflowing. He never scrimped on his customers, another fact that has left an impression on my mind, especially because of the many economic hard times my grandparents faced. He still sold his fruit with full integrity. "Ye shall know them by their fruits." - 3 Nephi 14:16. My grandpa was a good man.

I remember the irigation ditch behind their home. When it was high and flowed pretty fast, my cousins and I would race leaf or stick boats. And sometimes, when it was especially high, we'd get in ourselves and float down the ditch. Raspberries grew along that back fence by the irigation ditch and Grandma would ask us to pick as many as we could so she could make raspberry jam.

In their garden they grew strawberries, along with lots of other vegetables. I don't remember being in the garden as much, probably because it was off limits to little kids who might trample the growing plants. But I definitely remember the jams and the pies!

My grandparents lived in Utah and we lived pretty close to them up until I was seven years old. When I was seven, we moved to Oregon and visits to their farm decreased from several times a year to once a year. I have many memories of our yearly summer road trips to see family in Utah. It was the high light of the year and something we looked forward to for months. And although I didn't reap the benefits of a fruit farmer Grandpa as much, I still had a wonderful treat every August and September. In Oregon we had copious amounts of blackberry bushes around our home and late summer every year, we had all you can eat blackberries. Again, something I'd have to pay an arm and a leg for here in Texas! Wow, were they delicious! At age 15, my family moved up to Washington and our backyard was bordered with blackberry bushes. I can't even describe the beautiful September days in Oregon and Washington, picking blackberries to make jam. It is heaven and will always be one of my most favorite activities in life.

Obviously I love fruit. I grew up with fruit. Holidays weren't complete without the fruit baskets on the table. But there was one fruit I don't remember having as a child that I absolutely love now - the mango. I was converted to the mango through Mike. He had plenty on his mission in Costa Rica and was surprised when I told him I didn't even know what a mango was. He declares it was the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden and the fruit on the tree of life! I might have to agree with him. I eat mangos like they are candy! And being down here in Texas, they are a little more affordable compared to the Northwest. We buy them whenever we can.

It makes me sad that my boys won't grow up visiting a fruit farm. They hardly know what a cherry tastes like! They get raspberries maybe twice a year. And those store bought apples and pears will never compare to the fresh ones off my Grandpa's trees. They do love mangos, but they probably don't even know what a blackberry is. It is so sad! But....life goes on. They will have wonderful memories of doing things with Grandmas and Grandpas that I never had (we never visited the white sandy beaches of Florida!). So I guess the point is to make the most of what you have. And enjoy it while you have it. It won't last forever.