# The citrus is ripe for pickin' **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 27, 2003, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-citrus-is-ripe-for-pickin/221252 "2003-12-27T14:49:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-citrus-is-ripe-for-pickin/221252/1 "2003-12-27T14:49:20Z")
There are several citrus trees in my neighbor’s yard, but some of the branches hang over the fence. I can see oranges, tangerines, lemons and grapefruit, and it’s all ripe and ready. Should I go out some night a pick a bushel for myself? ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-citrus-is-ripe-for-pickin/221252/2 "2003-12-27T16:53:25Z")
yes, you should. ---
**Author:** ![JavaMaven1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@JavaMaven1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JavaMaven1)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-citrus-is-ripe-for-pickin/221252/3 "2003-12-27T17:35:07Z")
I’d say go for it. We have neighbors with fruit trees, also, and they can’t give away all the excess citrus they end up with at this time of year. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-citrus-is-ripe-for-pickin/221252/4 "2003-12-27T17:53:21Z")
Call me crazy, but why not knock on your neighbors’ door and say something like, “Hi! Hope you guys are having a great holiday! Your citrus crop looks just amazing, and seeing it dangle over my fence is making my mouth water. Would you mind if I picked a few fruits for breakfast? Oh, and I brought you these fresh, home-baked cookies!” ---
**Author:** ![Ace309](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ace309/32/1050_2.png) [@Ace309](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ace309)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-citrus-is-ripe-for-pickin/221252/5 "2003-12-27T18:54:00Z")
That would require giving away perfectly good cookies, and possibly going outside and being covered in natural light. _shudder_ ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-citrus-is-ripe-for-pickin/221252/6 "2003-12-27T19:32:52Z")
What everyone needs is a nice hooded cloak. In black. You can be scary AND out of the scary natural light. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-citrus-is-ripe-for-pickin/221252/7 "2003-12-27T23:23:30Z")
If I had cookies why would I need fruit? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-citrus-is-ripe-for-pickin/221252/9 "2003-12-28T05:30:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ace309 \* > \*\*That would require giving away perfectly good cookies, and possibly going outside and being covered in natural light. _shudder_ \*\* While I can totally sympathize with you, it WOULD be the right thing to do…just at or right after twilight. This time of year, it gets dark early enough that one need not be blinded by the Big Yellow Eye In The Sky. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-citrus-is-ripe-for-pickin/221252/10 "2003-12-28T11:43:33Z")
Well let’s see, I have a tangerine, orange, lime and two different kinds of grapefruit. I’ll do the taste test today. I had to reach up pretty far to get these, the easy pickin’s were already taken. Somebody’s horning in on my stash!!! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-citrus-is-ripe-for-pickin/221252/11 "2003-12-28T11:56:39Z")
If they aren’t sweet enough make marmalade. Waste not … ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-citrus-is-ripe-for-pickin/221252/12 "2003-12-28T12:39:03Z")
The tangerine and orange were very good. I’m going to have to carry a little step ladder over there tomorrow night. HA!!! I think I will just juice the grapefruit, and mix it with a touch of vodka. I’ll use the lime to spruce up my colas.