Picked fruit from a tree lately?

Jul 31, 2025

Not long ago, much of our local food supply came from what we grew right outside our homes and from wild trees. Masawu (Ziziphus mauritiana) was eaten fresh, dried, or turned into jam, juice and the traditional alcoholic beverage, tsubvu (Smelly-berry) was and is still a very popular snack, mawuyu (baobab fruit) also known as the “The tree of life” is a staple in various recipes, nhengeni (sour plum) is an indigenous fruit known for its edible pulp and its seeds contain oil that can be extracted for various uses. In many places, those trees are no longer there, or if they are, the fruit is smaller, bitter, or the tree barely produces any fruit.

The reasons for the disappearing trees are layered. Rising temperatures and unreliable rainfall patterns have made it harder for certain trees to thrive. In some cases, the wild land that once held these trees has been cleared for other uses. In others, the knowledge of how and when to plant has faded. With fewer people planting, tending or even noticing fruit trees, we are losing more than just these valuable fruit. We are losing nutrition, we are losing the knowledge and we are definitely losing options.

At Gobelo, we have always been really excited about growing our own food and most importantly, sharing what we learn with the community. What we plant at the moment is mostly practical due to the weather and soil conditions and the need for reliable yields. Some of it is experimental and some is personal, guided by what we ourselves remember growing up with. So far, we have planted (not only on trees) ..guava, lemon, passion fruit, gooseberries, strawberries, mango, paw-paw, prickly pear, avocado, mulberry and cashew apple. We are still trying other varieties, especially those that might better survive in this changing weather. It’s not been a perfect process. Some trees have done well while others have needed more time or a different spot. It is a lot of work, but we remain consistent with our intention to restore something that once made sense here.

There is still a long way to go, but every time we pick a fruit from a tree we didn’t have to buy, or a community member points out something that hasn’t grown here in years, it all feels like the right work. We will not be solving the disappearing fruit trees problem any time soon, but this is a start.

Until next time,
 the Gobelo Team