About 8 - 10 years ago Oliver drove from Colorado where he was living with his brothers back to the Spring Hill Homestead. With his belongings, he also brought the precious cargo of home grown avocado trees - 2. Both Tyler had started from seed and grown and babied in Boulder. They were a few feet tall at the time of Oliver's arrival, and Tyler told me that 1 was a Haas variety (I think purchased at the supermarket) and the other a large, organic one purchased at the farmers market in Boulder. Well, the little Haas is still growing but was/is affected by the winters here in Spring Hill more than the larger variety. Today the little Haas is about 10 - 12 feet high and seems to be coming into its own now that the trees in the backyard were cut back; the larger Haas is, well I have no idea how tall it is now.😊
Today was the very first year that the large Haas blossomed and I was sure they would just blow away. BUT, they didn't and it fruited wonderfully. Lost a couple to mother nature, and a couple weeks ago the garbage bandits (raccoons) discovered the soon-to-be ripe fruit was ripe enough for them. I had intended to harvest them this month, but had to pick them sooner because they munched down at least 4 before I realized the tree was under night attacks. The fruit is delicious and I look forward to the next crop. Total harvested in 2020 (post bandits) was 15. Now I just need to figure out how to keep the bandits out of the backyard.
P.S. Happy birthday, Thelma. May all your dreams come true. 💓
