Every year about this time we are faced with a dilemma; When should we pick the apples? They are not quite ripe yet and really should remain on the tree longer, but if we leave them, chances are very good that a bear will come along, eat them, and at the same time trash the tree getting to them.
There is a provincial-wide program to get people to pick the tree fruit before it becomes habitual for the bears to come in people’s yards to feed. It is tragic how many bears are killed in BC because they come into people’s yards, particularly in bigger population centers. Although we have always managed to live with bears without ever thinking they should be killed, they have destroyed trees and fences protecting trees. It is probably safer if they don’t come around the yard.
I have always been amazed in the past at how many times I have looked at the maturing apples on the tree and thought, “Tomorrow I will pick them,” only to discover the next morning that a bear had somehow realized my thoughts and come during the night and ate all of the apples and wrecked the tree.
So yesterday I picked the apples on our two trees. I always feel halfway sorry about doing it, because the bears probably need the food more than we do, but they always end up destroying the tree, so they will just have to look elsewhere for food.
See my paintings: davidmarchant2.ca
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