Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Around the Campfire => Topic started by: Josh B on September 24, 2014, 08:59:52 pm
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One of the many good things about my job, perhaps even the best part is all the great people I meet around the country. One such fella is a guy named Butch from clay county IL. I've been delivering herbicide to him for ten years and I have gotten to know him pretty good in that time. Every year around this time I make sure my dispatcher sends me with loads to him so I can raid his persimmon patch. His patch is but one of maybe a dozen that I hit, but it is one of the best. He has always let me harvest bow wood and whatever else is growing on his ground. He's a true gem of guy. A few years ago he asked me about maybe making a bow for his grandson. I had a nice little piece of hedge along, so over the weekend knocked out a nice little bow and gave it to him the next Monday. You would've thought I gave him a new truck. I thought it a small token of appreciation for letting me harvest stuff I didn't have at home. Well.I delivered to him today and he made sure I knew that the persimmons were ripe. I walked out back to pick some up and the patch had been cleared of honeysuckle, multiflora rose and brambles. Only the persimmon trees left standing. I'm thinking awesome! No more diggin thorns out of my hide for my persimmon habit. As I was picking up those lovely little packets of jelly known as persimmon, the guys hired hand came out and says,"so your the guy!". I said what guy? He then told me that little patch was left specifically for me! Butch made him clear all the scrub away to clean up the place, but told him not to knock down the persimmon trees because I enjoyed them so much. That may not seem like that big of a deal to most, but to me that was huge. Here's the little patch and the last persimmon I have from today's harvest. I'm saving this one to spread on my toast tomorrow morning. Man...what a cool dude! Josh
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Nice story ...Josh, enjoyed it,
DBar
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Josh - that was way cool - helped brighten my day that had turned sour at the end. Thanks!
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couldn't happen to a more deserving man, Doc.
rich
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Sounds like a really nice guy. You can't find a better fruit and the deer love them also.
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Good deal! That looks like some kinda plump persimmon. Must be a good year for them too! I need to go get some myself and lay off the pawpaws for a day or two.
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Sounds like two cool dudes in that story :)
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What a great world it would be if we all treated each other that way. Way to go Gun Doc.
Can't say that I have ever tasted persimmon. Don't think they grow up here in Michigan?
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Great story,yep always believed what goes around comes around. Nice standard to live by. ;) :) :) My persimmons look about like that,fat and ready to eat,ate a few out scouting this passed weekend. :)
Pappy
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That's cool, good story Josh. It's great to hear stuff like this when it seems like we get constantly bombarded by bad news.
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I thought you guys might appreciate the kinda person Butch is. Not every person I meet is like him. Some are absolute skunks, but the vast majority I meet are just plain good natured salt of the earth type folks. You know, people like you find here. It gives me hope for the future to know that are still good folks around. Josh
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That is so true. I used to travel a lot in my job and I might meet 20 super nice people and one real jerk. It was so hard to remember the 20 nice ones but I could always dwell on that one guy .... As I get older I finally realize what I was doing. I just try to focus on being nice to everyone and remembering the ones who were nice back. My simple new way of being happy - it seems to be working!
It's encouraging to hear stories where people simply treat one another like they would want to be treated. Thanks for sharing that Gun Doc. Plus now I want persimmon pudding!!!
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Could I get some idea of how you deal with those chubby little morsels?
I hear frost is nessessary. Most folks told me they make jelly.
Plenty around my way
I'm off to the paw paw patch!
Zuma
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Nice story, Josh. Rewarding for both of you, just the way it should be.
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Dang, you should tell him to start drying them and make persimmon leather. That's the stuff! Great story gun doc.
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Great story Josh, I also like Jeb have never seen are tasted a Persimmon, Just to dang far north. Bob
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Yep Josh, Words to live by... ;)
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Thanks fellas!
Bob..if persimmons kept better I'd send you some to try. Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and Illinois are loaded with em. I've never seen so many. Unfortunately they don't keep well at all.
Zuma.. I don't if there's a correct way to eat persimmon, but generally I eat them one of two ways. The first is to pick them up when they first drop and they're a nice uniform orange color. The flesh is soft but still holds it's shape. I gently remove the skin and discard it. Then I bite a bit off seeds and all, work the seeds out of the flesh with my tongue and spit out the seeds. Carefully avoid peeling the membrane that encapsulates the seed with your teeth. That membrane is nasty!
The other way is to let the persimmon age a day or two until the flesh turns to jelly. I then tear a hole in the skin, squish the insides out of the skin and onto my toast, waffle or whatever. Then spread the flesh around with my knife while gently working the seeds out. Remember to leave the membrane with the seeds when you discard them. That's how I munch em anyway. As far as the frost goes, that's only in the northern most part of it's range where the growing season is shorter. Josh