Pettys Orchard
This green stretch of Templestowe
between the main road and the river
used to be all orchard country.
Now only Pettys¹ survives -
the rest is million-dollar houses
with pools on one-acre sites.
Pettys proudly keep on with trees
they call Œantique apples¹;
their tasting days in March are famous.
Passing their side road in September,
surprise: we see their sign out:
Fri. and Sat.: organic produce.
But their gate sign signals No Dogs;
as we skirt their wetland and its birds,
our pup is told: You¹re not getting out.
Lines of bare trees (soon to blossom)
stretch to the river, the grass under them
grazed by kangaroos! whole families.
ŒWe¹re happy for them to keep the grass down.¹
says Mrs P. She buys in honey,
chocolate, vegetables, organic rice.
The sheds are of old weathered timber;
signs invite us to the orchard museum -
such old machines! wood and canvas,
for rolling apples along through gaps,
sorting them for size, and so into boxes.
The apples on sale are popular ones:
Jonathan, Golden.... Driving away, we bite
into our purchase: not since childhood
have apples tasted so sweet and good.
The pup has never tasted one before;
he thoughtfully masticates the core.
Organic kangaroos people my head.
3 October 2007
Max Richards
Doncaster, Victoria
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