Author Topic: A theft on the horizon  (Read 1726 times)

Plantinyum

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A theft on the horizon
« on: August 10, 2022, 03:53:36 PM »
 Please dont hate me , i just want my crops grown with allot of effort, for myself. Sooooo ive been seeing those 2 kids regularly passing on my street and helping themselves with the neighbors raspberries, they do not enter the yard, they just harvest whats available trought the yard barier.
Fast forward to my case, i knew this moment would come and i kinda didnt do what i had to do earlier. Now i have a tiffany nectarine, a 2 y/o tree that has around 30 nectarines now on it. The plant is right next to the fence line and the fruit being the size of a medium apple and the colloring that they are staring to get surely attracts some attention. I placed a shading net on the fence ,but apparently those two kids are a fruit gang and regularly scan yards for gastronomic experiences.
So the culmination was today when i was a meter away from the tree when i saw them passing right next to the fence, they didnt saw me becouse of the shade net. They were chatting something like " come to see" and were trying to see trought the fence. Now i do have blackberries right next to the tree so they may have been targeting them, dunno...
So my responce was with as serious voice as a could do- do not look here, at which they just lightly laughed.
I have a hail net that complicates thing for anyone intending from above ,and the  thorny blackberries also protect on one side.
I will be putting a higher temporary net on the existing one until the harvest is done and for next year i will have to make some changes to the fence so i feel secure that my crop is safe.


achetadomestica

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Re: A theft on the horizon
« Reply #1 on: August 10, 2022, 04:02:44 PM »
I think I would have talked to them and ask them to not pick them early and offer
them a sample when they are ripe?  unless you can patrol your fence line 24 hours

roblack

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Re: A theft on the horizon
« Reply #2 on: August 10, 2022, 04:23:18 PM »
I've had some interesting encounters with fruit grabbers through the years. Part of me despises them, and I also sometimes see a younger dumber me in their eyes. Before I grew fruit, didn't appreciate how taking plant material could effect another person.

Since they are young and have lots to learn, maybe give them a chance by introducing yourself as someone who grows and loves fruits, and works hard to grow them, thus valuing them. Add that you have noticed that they too appear to love fruits, and you are here to help. Let them know that picking at wrong time is a waste, and that asking is the way to go. Offer them cuttings or small plants of berry vines and whatever, a little at a time. Make a relationship with them. Won't guarantee they won't steal from you, but will make it more awkward and less desired.

Have conspicuous cameras around the house and fruit areas. Perhaps mention in passing your past war service (or family's - if applicable) and hobbies of hunting, taxidermy, flying stealth drones, and watching Dexter. They might think again before stealing fruit, and they might start growing their own.

Plantinyum

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Re: A theft on the horizon
« Reply #3 on: August 10, 2022, 04:50:18 PM »
Well i should probably have been more kind and all but that response was my initial reaction, of course i should have just checked on them and asked what they were looking for. I think they like the combination of adrenaline and fruit , i remember me when i was younger i would also pick fruit that was going out of peoples yards, i remember i felt good when someone chased or screamed at me for doing so, guess i was a nasty kid huh ,haha i officially know how it is on the other side.
« Last Edit: August 10, 2022, 04:52:25 PM by Plantinyum »

Gulfgardener

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Re: A theft on the horizon
« Reply #4 on: August 10, 2022, 06:10:06 PM »
Grow some poison ivy and stinging nettle along the fence.  8)

Gone tropo

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Re: A theft on the horizon
« Reply #5 on: August 10, 2022, 07:23:44 PM »
A warning shot with 00 buckshot should do the trick and have them never returning

W.

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Re: A theft on the horizon
« Reply #6 on: August 10, 2022, 07:59:40 PM »
A warning shot with 00 buckshot should do the trick and have them never returning

I don't think Bulgarians quite have the freedoms and private property rights as Americans (and maybe Australians) do. Such as the freedom to ask someone to please not trespass on my property and/or steal fruit or other items from it and then, for the really stupid ones who do not apologize and stop said trespassing and/or stealing, pull out a loaded firearm and ask them the questions: "Do you feel lucky? Well, do you, punk?" 8)

Oolie

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Re: A theft on the horizon
« Reply #7 on: August 11, 2022, 12:59:24 PM »
Do you know anyone who makes mounts from animals? Maybe a snake in the tree would provide a deterrent?

pineislander

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Re: A theft on the horizon
« Reply #8 on: August 11, 2022, 06:59:53 PM »
Since they are young and have lots to learn, maybe give them a chance by introducing yourself as someone who grows and loves fruits, and works hard to grow them, thus valuing them. Add that you have noticed that they too appear to love fruits, and you are here to help. Let them know that picking at wrong time is a waste, and that asking is the way to go. Offer them cuttings or small plants of berry vines and whatever, a little at a time. Make a relationship with them. Won't guarantee they won't steal from you, but will make it more awkward and less desired.
I like this idea could be a win for everybody. It's probably a lot harder to steal significantly from a friend.

Plantinyum

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Re: A theft on the horizon
« Reply #9 on: August 12, 2022, 12:46:53 AM »
Alot of ideas !!! The poison ivy idea is kinda nasty haha, i guess it might work ,never messed with the plant so i dont know how it reacts with people....but its kinda too much in a way, plus if its like the regular ivy growing here, its badly invasive and i will have to deal with shaping the plant etc.

Firing with guns in a populated area here is prolly forbidden, i may be able to pull it off only on new year's day when alot of folks do it. I see this thought as the clearest sign- do not come near....

I dont think an artificial snake would affect annyone permanently, i mean people will see at the very first moment its fake. Live animals are the way to go , thw best scenario would be to release the dog from its enclosure, its aggresive towards strangers ,but will shit anywhere and will probably destroy the plants....

Finally ,i think becouse of the fact that i'm still kinda young/ 25 ,any kid would not think i could be so serious or a threat if they happen to steal the fruit. I think if i go easier with them and try communicating they would just think I am crazy or smt. Kids dont have the same respect towards youngsters as to older people, at least here...
« Last Edit: August 12, 2022, 12:49:21 AM by Plantinyum »

JakeFruit

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Re: A theft on the horizon
« Reply #10 on: August 12, 2022, 09:48:12 AM »
Here's an idea that just might work: next time you see them coming, get right next to your tree and begin urinating on the fruit as they pass. I can guarantee they'll stop and stare, that's when you turn your head to see them and pretend to be a little embarrassed. Tell them you urinate on all the fruit in your yard when it gets close to being ripe, go on about urea being a wonderful natural fertilizer when sprayed directly on fruit; then, hold up a spray bottle of yellow-ish liquid and tell them you use it to reach fruit beyond your "normal" range.
Problem solved  ;)




Plantinyum

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Re: A theft on the horizon
« Reply #11 on: August 12, 2022, 10:46:05 AM »
Here's an idea that just might work: next time you see them coming, get right next to your tree and begin urinating on the fruit as they pass. I can guarantee they'll stop and stare, that's when you turn your head to see them and pretend to be a little embarrassed. Tell them you urinate on all the fruit in your yard when it gets close to being ripe, go on about urea being a wonderful natural fertilizer when sprayed directly on fruit; then, hold up a spray bottle of yellow-ish liquid and tell them you use it to reach fruit beyond your "normal" range.
Problem solved  ;)
oh shit  ;D ;D🤣 that will be brutal, it sure would work, even i wont be eating the fruit after this , on a side note the tree is still small and the fruit is all IN MY REACH so no bottle would be needed haha

JCorte

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Re: A theft on the horizon
« Reply #12 on: August 12, 2022, 04:03:24 PM »
Hi Plantinyum,

This is one of my challenges.  I live in a tourist town and on a street where lots of people like to park to avoid paying for parking.  I've gone back and forth over the years between frustration with people thinking anything within reach of the street is open to grazing and wanting to share and inspire people to grow their own.

I've caught people holding their kids across my gate columns to reach ripe fruit.  It seems whenever I confronted them defensively, they were not actually apologetic at all and justified their "theft" and became defensive themselves.  Nowadays I usually offer to pick a fruit for them and often times they start asking a lot of questions about how and what I'm growing.  I do have a rose bush and thorny finger lime in front of a couple of plants.  It's also easier now that my plants are mature and usually produce plenty. 

Interestingly, it feels like I get less people just taking fruit since I changed my attitude about it and there's definitely more fruiting plants in the neighborhood.  On the other hand, I keep my most valuable fruits out of reach which helps me to stay more easy-going about it. 

Janet

digigarden

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Re: A theft on the horizon
« Reply #13 on: August 12, 2022, 05:27:30 PM »
first one is don't grow fruit in your front yard if you can avoid it..

-but since you already did it maybe a fence or a live fence with some nasty cactus.
-you could have geese instead of dogs to guard your house
-i would personally buy a big kids water gun then soak em and chase em down yelling thieves xD
-you could upload all that to youtube if they won't stop
-like someone said you could talk to them give them a few fruit and tell them to not take people's fruit without asking and offer to give them a few seedlings and for them to grow their own.
-you could wear old clothes maybe with a hole and stains then pretend you're peeing xD i like the guy's idea but don't actually pee on the fruit just pretend you pissed on a tree by zipping your pants up and then pretend you're scratching your balls xD then smell your armpits in front of them.
-or just ask them not to and give and advice and if they are disrespectful record it and call the police on them

pagnr

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Re: A theft on the horizon
« Reply #14 on: August 12, 2022, 05:42:58 PM »
I also did many similar things of that type at that age too.
One day our whole small Catholic Primary School was walking to the town hall and raided Mr Summerfields' Loquat tree.
I can still see that old guy maybe 70 years old chasing all those kids away, and the Nun telling us off.
Of course we went back again for more Loquats.

Another time the small town Council put in cement pit covers, me and my friend carved our initials in the wet cement.
The town had one policeman who was looking for kids with those initials, but couldn't get the combos right to catch the culprits, PG, ME or PM,GE etc etc.

Overall I guess you have to accept that you can't stop kids growing up the way you grew up.
If you are having trouble with a group of kids, tell them you are growing rare fruit, saving types for the future. I think most will get it.

Plantinyum

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Re: A theft on the horizon
« Reply #15 on: August 13, 2022, 04:04:01 AM »
Its fun to read on the experiences and crazy ideas of all of you!!
JCorte, i am glad that not alot of people movement here at my village. The problem with them harvesting the fruits is half the picture, u probably also have the problem of not having tranquility with so much unknowns walking by....

Digigarden, yes we will be fixing the fence ,expanding a little the yard at this exact place. Yes i know i shoulnt have planted those fruit trees there but i simply dont have the place elsewhere.....i have ponds and alot of plants, geese, the ones i have seen are eating machines for plant matter, they would be a nightmare released in a lush garden, probably if they could be trained somehow they would work.....
I can do the soakin with the water hose, it'll be nice, for me hahah, the idea of nastifying myself to look as grose as hell will work, but i'll be the one they call cops on, not the opposite
🤣🤣

Pagnr, i am not an angle u know, ive also harvested fruit from peoples trees, everithing that was in my reach without entering the yard. It was a group thing ,but usually it was always me that did the first move. Anyway, carma is a thing! What ive done is now coming back to me so i will just do what i can to protect my crops .
I dont mind sharing ,that is when i have enought for my house needs, guess i am kinda greedy about the nectarine at this point since theres not much on the tree u know....
« Last Edit: August 14, 2022, 01:36:39 AM by Plantinyum »

achetadomestica

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Re: A theft on the horizon
« Reply #16 on: August 13, 2022, 08:37:44 AM »
This reminded me I was a den leader for my son in cub scouts.
We met at a church once a week. I had seen some citrus trees planted
in a row by a road. The church had a grounds keeper/ maintenance man and
I talked to him one day about the trees. He planted them all and they
were pushing 8 feet and loaded with fruit. He was very proud of his trees.
I told him where to get discount fertilizer in town at Diamond R and even
invited him to my house to see my fruit trees. One day I noticed all the trees
were chopped down? I was shocked and asked the priest what happened?
He said the cubscouts had picked all the fruit after the meeting and the
grounds keepers cut them down? I defended the cubscouts and thought
no way. At the next meeting I asked and sure enough the cubscouts had
a citrus fight and picked all the unripe fruit and threw it at each other.
Luckily my son wasn't directly involved. I treid to make some sort of restitution
and make the kids replace and plant the new trees but the church didn't want
any more trees. I never talked to the maintenance man and luckily he never
called me and came to see my trees. What a nut job! Why would anyone cut down
their trees because the fruit got stolen by dumb kids?

Galatians522

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Re: A theft on the horizon
« Reply #17 on: August 13, 2022, 09:45:46 AM »
Move to Georgia and plant pecans in your front yard (grow everything else in the back yard). It is against the law to pick pecans off the ground or shake a tree that has roots on private property--even if the nut are laying in a public road way.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://georgiapecans.org/you-can-be-fined-for-picking-pecans-in-georgia/%23:~:text%3D%25E2%2580%259CIn%2520Georgia%252C%2520taking%2520pecans%2520from,re%2520on%2520a%2520public%2520road.%25E2%2580%259D&ved=2ahUKEwj58uj9-MP5AhUUQzABHeZjDKQQFnoECAQQBQ&usg=AOvVaw30wnH94mj8uzrOiLBZejC6

Now, maybe we could get a similar law passed for Florida mangoes...

1rainman

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Re: A theft on the horizon
« Reply #18 on: August 13, 2022, 03:34:01 PM »

Rispa

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Re: A theft on the horizon
« Reply #19 on: August 13, 2022, 04:35:35 PM »
I would enlist the kids to help with chores in exchange for some fruit. I would also start some plants for them and if they stick around and keep helping pay them a little and give them their own plants to put in their yards, so I'm future years they start getting their own fruit 😊

Ulfr

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Re: A theft on the horizon
« Reply #20 on: August 13, 2022, 05:58:01 PM »
Like Roblack, I couldn’t help but see a younger, silly, less thoughtful me. I would talk to them, tell them how much work it is and how excited you are. Offer to give them a taste when they are perfectly ripe and tell them why they shouldn’t be picked early.

Better to have local allies then create a challenge out of it.

pagnr

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Re: A theft on the horizon
« Reply #21 on: August 13, 2022, 06:53:09 PM »
What a nut job! Why would anyone cut down their trees because the fruit got stolen by dumb kids?

Not necessarily Kids, but in my experience in Australia, it is not uncommon for fruit trees to be cut down to prevent someone else getting the fruit.
That's more so with people who don't eat or grow fruit and have no use for it. They just don't like people outside their fence even picking up fallen fruit.
Also they are spiteful of people who don't think like them and would eat something that they would not or didn't get bought in a shop.
I often sample fruit here and there mainly for propagation.
A Hi Vis vest is very handy for ''Official looking visits" to fence line fruit trees in daylight.

Since fruit fly got in here, many trees have been cut down, encouraged by Government to reduce overwintering hosts,
and by people who would cut down the tree rather than deal with the fruit every year.
Around here we have many Italian, Greek, Turkish etc families who grew fruit varieties.
As the parents and grandparents pass away, the varieties from home countries are being lost in the eradication processes.
In fact there was talk of local By Laws to prevent non commercial fruit growing in backyards.
This was also driven by Australian fruit growers who export fruit, Fruit Fly detection shuts the export market.

Finally on the Church/ Scouts issue.. I wonder if the order to cut the trees came from higher up, ( the Priest or Bishop ).
Maybe the were afraid of losing any more Altar Boys or Choirboys to the Scouts??
After all, when I was an Altar Boy, we only got reduced Pennance when we did something wrong. Never a badge when we did something good...

CarolinaZone

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Re: A theft on the horizon
« Reply #22 on: August 14, 2022, 04:54:09 PM »
Did I miss something? Why not talk to their parents? I'm glad bad kids are not just a problem in in NC. By bad I mean mischievous. That said if its over the sidewalk or outside the lawn just accept it. Grazers will graze. I did it when I was a kid. I got thorough spanking when my neighbors complained about us. In hindsight I think it was my parents fault for not telling me don't go in Mr so and so's yard or field and pick fruit. 

I almost went in on a libertarian, no hand out people go to work for it rant. Dodge it by ......that much ;)

Plantinyum

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Re: A theft on the horizon
« Reply #23 on: August 15, 2022, 01:31:21 AM »
Achetadomestica, well i think i see the reason  if they were caring for those fruit, were expecting to prolly do something worthwhile with them , they apparently felt bad enought to do it. The fruit per se werent stolen, they were picked green and trown away, they were wasted. It could have been a single episode of this, but they probably thought that it would happen again, or had happened before so they had enough of it and ended the trees. I would just have netted the trees or have put a fence around them...

Galatians522 thats a nice law they've got i georgia, most of the people there probably dont know it exist thought ? I see one could get in many arguments with strangers collecting the nuts....
I also have 2 pecans planted on the streets side but those are verry young still ,prolly 10 years till i get to the problem of having people harvesting them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvQNLWJwiyU
wow 🤣🤣 a nice movie and the scene is spot on the subject...

Rispa, ive had bad experience with just giving plants to people, that is grown up ones which can and should have cared for them. Well they just neglect them and left them to die. What about children, i really dont think its worth it. If someone asks me either about fruit or starter plants i will give them, i also sell quite alot of stuff so usually have small plants which could be bought , ive found with me that if i pay for something i feel the need to care for it.
Some random kids doing work on my plants ,no way ,i dont let my family care for my plants, like they dont want to but i would not let them if they did.

Ulfr, if they ask i will i wont be standing next to the nectarine and offering fruit to anyone that is passing and looking at it. Not a fruit but the exaple still applies, there were 2 kids that saw my garden pond and were looking trought the yards door, thwy politely asked me to check on it and i let them, showed them the frog, the goldfish, the waterfall. They were happy and entertained when they left, the point is if they want those peaches so bad they can ask and not try to steal, theres awlays someone at the yard.


CarolinaZone i dont know their parrents, and its still not a theft since they tried to just look thing up, i was there and prevented this but i know what they had in their mind. Yes i accept that everithing in arms reach trought the fence is succeptible to being harvested by someone, thats why i am keeping all the branches inside the yard. The blackberry on the fence i also keep from the inside, however when it gets to be bigger i will release it also on the outside, the thing is that an outside fruit drawws attention to the inside one.....

« Last Edit: August 15, 2022, 01:38:31 AM by Plantinyum »