DETERMINATION WITHIN SPLENDOR - day 32 NETZACH sh b’HOD

Psalms of My Soul
ספירת העומר

NETZACH sh b’HOD - day 32 which is 4 weeks and 4 days of the Kabbalistic Counting of the Sephirat HaOmer.

HARVEST DETERMINATION WITHIN G*D’s SPLENDOR - day 32 NETZACH sh b’HOD

- Joy Krauthammer 

Determined Endurance to Give Away Grapefruit to the Needy

To achieve success/victory in giving away grapefruit to the needy, and that the fallen and way high up citrus is not wasted, took a few weeks of planning. 

My mission was to give away hundreds of fresh, ripe, organic juicy delicious grapefruits to event organizers that feed the hungry. I called the local Councilman’s office the week before my goal to confirm donation collection sites that I had researched and seen posted. 

For my hired gardeners to have their weekly chores planned out, and to save the Friday afternoon before CITRUS SUNDAY, and BIG SUNDAY events, and to have my 34 year old grapefruit tree heavily pruned, schedules needed to be made. 

On Thursday, my caring sister Faye called to suggest that I call my gardeners and remind them to bring the right tools with them on the necessary next day.  As if I had not been stating my plan each of prior weeks, I then called the gardeners on Thursday with that same reminder. (I do this also at Tu B’Shvat time to prune fig trees.) I know that Jose does not want me to call and remind him, but I did, after hesitating. Sure enough, by the next day, Jose forgot after 3 weeks of planning and began other easier pruning. I don’t know that he had the best tool, a saw, with him, but he had a pruner with him.  (The same large pruner he had forgotten in a bush by the street a couple weeks earlier, and luckily I found it, and called him so he was not wondering where it was.) 

Jose is a smart guy, but acted as if he had no idea what I was talking about with the fruit tree.  I then tried to explain that this was a good deed to give away the fruit, and not sell it, thus it had to be pruned now, as scheduled.  

Rafael, the young assistant, said, “Muy caliente", very hot, and I agreed knowing it was over 100*. Normally in compassion I would say, “go home early and don’t finish”, but this time I did not. I said, “Con Cuiudad” with care, and Rafael then scuttled up the tree trunk and branches with the long pruner, and positioned himself to begin saving the grapefruit for donation. It was shady in the heavily canopied tree. They gardeners have water, and hats with them.

(It’s not fair to me that they always come to me in mid-afternoon at the hour’s hottest time, and I tell them not to stay long, although I pay them fully for the hour which is always much less time. I pay them when it rains or when they think it rains, or if too windy, and for their holidays.)

It was best to take down 5 feet of tree’s height with the fruit on branches, I had decided. In advance, I called a local nursery to make sure that seasonal timing was good for tree's health, and my sister 'Googled' internet for same info and helpful details. Voila-- good season.  I had been waiting for when new spring baby grapefruits were not so big.  To me it is terrible when with heavy winds, unripe green large fruits are thrown to ground, and all that nourishing growing time is wasted. I'd lost over 100 grapefruits in prior days' unseasonal heavy Santa Ana winds. I gave away many.

I picked up all the golden grapefruits and packaged them in bags and boxes. Unfortunately many split open and were ruined with the fall to ground. Can’t give those away. I always offer grapefruits to the gardeners, and bring them bagged to others. I cut some quickly, like oranges, and with giant slurps, ate them. No more meditative, slow with serrated knife sectioning and eating with a little pointy serrated spoon for me.

Only after I had ten big bags filled, I called Food Forward, an organization that forwards produce to needy people. I realized that the citrus was to much and too heavy for me to be lifting, carrying, and needed help. Food Forward people send out volunteers to do the picking, and I had saved them that people power. My intention was to drop off all the fruit at one of the many local donation places. Within an hour of calling, a pair of young strong women wearing body support belts, showed up with a big truck, and were very happy to repackage the grapefruits into big boxes and put them on the truck and haul them away.  I had remembered to tell them to bring better boxes than mine. The gals said that each filled box was 'only' 40 pounds. I was concerned for them. I was grateful that these gals could help me meet my goals, and I could help them meet theirs in a 'green' way.  

This harvest experience was NETZACH sh b’Hod, and sharing with success-- the splendors of G*d’s Grace. 

Now I am on Food Forward's address list for future years so that once again, I can harvest my grapefruit for those in need. That feels good to do this mitzvah / good deed.

This Valley neighborhood is 'historic' for its old grapefruit orchards from many decades ago.  The two citrus trees I planted 34 years ago on Tu B'Shvat when my daughter was two. There used to be a swing set between the trees when they were young.

Grapefruits, Garden of Joy

A Selfie of 'Forced Perspective' with Grapefruit and Pruner

Garden of Joy

© Joy Krauthammer 

Grapefruit 

Garden of Joy

© Joy Krauthammer 

Boxes and Bags of Grapefruit

Garden of Joy

© Joy Krauthammer 

Food Forward for Citrus Sunday

Rachel and Brenna

© Joy Krauthammer 

Harvesting Grapefruit

Garden of Joy

© Joy Krauthammer 

Harvesting Grapefruit

Garden of Joy

© Joy Krauthammer 

Grapefruit Tree post pruning and Orange Tree needing pruning

Garden of Joy

© Joy Krauthammer 

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