On Sun, 14 Nov 2004 20:36 Ashley Moran wrote:

>On Nov 13, 2004, at 8:39 pm, Keith Thomas wrote:
>> There is a story both wonderful and depressing at:
>>
>> http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2004/10/30/fallen-fruit/
>>
>> It's about the literally thousands of apple varieties in
>> the UK around 120 years ago ...

>I can't understand the mentality of people who cut down
>fruit trees and then go to the supermarket to buy things
>that were previously growing for free.
>
>Ashley

Good observation, Ashley.  In around six weeks' time, I'll be gathering
flavoursome apricots and plums from a house across the road.  If I didn't
gather all his fruit (and clean up the windfalls before they make
a "mess") this neighbour would have removed these trees as well.

These fruit are so flavoursome that I reckon - based on my interpretation
of the 'instincto' eating principle - on a few occasions, at least, people
in the Paleolithic would have eaten fresh fruit in IMmoderation!

It is sad, too, that many people - mainly Western urban dwellers - have
been seduced into eating only food that has been purchased.  Most of their
food is processsed, of course, but they also still appear to be more
comfortable with purchasing rather than eating it free and fresh from
tree, garden, hen etc.  As part of this, they appear to have developed a
preference for fruit that is unripe.

Keith