But, They Looked Soooo Good

[WheelEstate USA]

I thought I was going to choke from laughing so hard. I'm still trying to dry my eyes.

Margie came in spitting and spewing with the worst look on her face you could imagine. "What's wrong, are you ok?", sez I.

Thru puckered lips she replied, "They looked so good".
"What the hell are you talking about???", I shot back, looking at her gruesome expression.
"Those freakin oranges on that tree over there, damnit!!!"
"Haven't I warned you not to eat anything off any plant without checking with me first??", I quarried in my best "fatherly" voice as she rinsed her mouth over the sink.
"Yes, but I thought they were oranges and it would be ok", she retorted.
"Honey, those are ornamental oranges and they are very bitter, not meant to eaten", I injected between the gargling and spitting.
"No shit they're not!!! Why would someone have them in their yard??", she sputtered.
"Colorful shade trees, I suppose", *a shrug*
"I'm glad I didn't try the lemon on the other tree then", *swigging soda*
"Well, you would have been better off if you had because you like grapefruit and that's what they are, and are edible", I suggested.
"They look like a big lemon tho", *perplexed look*

Well folks, they are indeed grapefruit, but dwarfed. They have an unusually thick rind and the meat is just smaller than a tennis ball. They are very good and really juicy.
I retrieved a couple, and tho she hesitated till I ate some, she likes them.

So...don't eat just anything you find growing anywhere unless you know exactly what it is. I'm very sure Margie won't ever again.
Here, in the desert there are things that are edible, and living here most of my life, I know most of them. At times we add some of them into our diet, such as, prickly pear fruits, saguaro fruits, yucca flower buds, and the pads of the nopal (related to prickly pear, but less thorny).

Be careful out there.

 

[Lucky mike]

Tell Margie Im sorry for laughing.....

poor Bindi probably hid under the table so she wouldnt see him Snicker!!!!!!

 

[Bela's Mom]

Too funny!! I probably would have done the same thing Margie did, however! I love oranges!

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

Ever have a persimmon? They aren't good til they look rotten, same with a Pawpaw. My ex had to learn the hard way as did I when I was a child though. He just didn't trust me when I said-not ripe yet. My Dad knew a lot about foraging and taught me but I forgot most of it.
I found out about the beautiful orange tree in my yard when I lived in Fl years ago. Looked exactly the same-to me as the good tree next to it. I won't even touch an orange on a tree unless someone else tests it first. Learned my lesson well.

 

[Where~the~wind~blows]

Tell Margie she's not alone.....been there done that!

 

[Willy]

Try chokecherries.. sure look tasty. ..Willy.

 

[Zil]

the little chokecherries or as we called them wild or black cherries are tasty when fully ripe. You have to eat a lot of them for any nourishment. All stone and little juice. And beat the birds to'em, also.