Millions of Peaches...

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...peaches for me.

Head teacher from school called me up one day, saying he wanted to take danilo and I peach picking. We settled on a day, and that morning Danilo and I got ready, and were picked up on the way to the Orchard.

I thought this would be like fruit picking back home, but it has a little twist. Instead of going to a particular farm/orchard and buying a box to fill/paying for your fruit by weight, you buy a tree. Head teacher owns a peach tree, that is not a part of his garden. You go to the orchard and pick a tree, before the fruit starys to grow. Head teacher was a bit too busy so the Orchard owner picked his tree for him - and I think he picked an awfully nice one.

We were led to a particular netted off area, and Head teacher got to wear a beautiful orange plaque with his name on it and the 'name' of his tree (it was lettered and numbered), a lovely little woman showed us how it was done - twist, don't pull - and we got down to the business of picking peaches.

I've always thought that peaches were quite cheeky. It's natures way of mocking us / god's little joke (darwinists/believers take your pick). I don't believe there is any fruit that looks more like a bottom than a peach does. Little pink furry bottoms mock you as they hang there, and you give them a little pinch, before twisting them off the branch.

We harvested (ooo note the lingo) 102 peaches, and by the end of it, we were covered in irritating peach fuzz, and scratching our arms. The little old woman came back and offered us a taste of another type of peach, which was soft and juicy and eaten while bent over, avoiding the spray. I think the japanese people like their fruit a bit too ripe though, as the peaches they told us to wait a few days before eating, were the right kind of firm for my liking.

Head teacher took us out for lunch, to his favourite ramen shop (and possible number 2 or 3 on my list) before dropping us home and making a generous gift of about 30 peaches! It'll be peaches in my cereal, peaches in my salad, and peaches for dessert for a while i think!

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Photos

Learning how to pick peaches.
Twist, don't pull!