North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Jim Fruth" <jfruth@tds.net>]

Alan Haigh said, "One of the rarest fruits in the experience of Americans is 
tree ripened European plums.  You can't even find them at farm stands any 
place I've lived because they're always picked too hard."

Alan,
   Here in Minnesota, if the plums aren't hard, people won't buy them.  If 
plums are smaller than a Satsuma, people won't buy them.  Our buying public 
is so caught up with the way fruit is available in the grocery stores that 
they expect farmers' market produce should be likewise.  I cut down many of 
my plum trees because there is no sale for small plums (Underwood, South 
Dakota, Toka, Tecumseh, etc.).  They will buy my Superior plums, but only if 
they are hard.
   When gray-haired ladies would ask what to do with (small) plums, I used 
to suggest, "Make jam," to which they would scoff saying, "Oh, my grandma 
used to do that."
   I don't sell at farmers' markets anymore and I here that things are 
slowly changing.  I hear that folks will actually buy a tomato that has a 
blemish now.

Jim Fruth
Brambleberry Farm
Pequot Lakes, MN  56472
For jams, jellies & syrups:
www.bberryfarm.com
(877)265-6856 [Store]
(218)831-7018 [My Cell]