Nostalgia For An Avocado Tree In Our Old Garden.

If only I had known...

Many years ago, back in a time I still donned my school uniform to attend school, we had a big rambling old garden with an old and therefore huge avocado tree in it. The sort of tree that has avocados the size of paw-paws which we used to call butter avocados but which are also known as hall avocados.

They were creamy, buttery and oh so yummy. The first time we had a harvest it became an avo feast. It wasn't long after we had emigrated from Germany to South Africa and the memory of how expensive avocados were was ever present. Back in Germany they were a luxury. As they should be unless you have a big tree in your garden which literally littered the floor with an abundance of them.

After a while we couldn't eat anymore of them. We gave them away to those who didn't have their own tree, but even then, not all could be eaten. Kind of like our own apple trees in the back!

Avocados are expensive here in Austria and so they should be as they tend  to be flown in from all over the world and often from places that don't care about the environmental damage the growing of huge avo plantations inflicts. Those plantations need so much water and paradoxically as they need a hot climate to grow, those countries tend to have enormous water issues. ie, not enough of it for normal everyday life of its citizens, let alone for avocado plantations. 

Sadly from the environmental aspect the avocado has been made a super food along with a trendy food thus creating a massive demand for them. Sushi sans avo? Mum made me aware recently about this issue and I have started to wane myself off the odd avocado. Or at least those from bad environmental backgrounds. 

Another trend lately has been Crowd Farming, an online green grocers of sorts. Just a few minutes ago I saw an add for supporting  avocado farmers through this crowd farming. Apparently one can order 4 kg of avocado and have it shipped to one's home. These farms are in Europe and specifically in Spain....which goes to prove my point; Spain is also plagued by droughts more often than not so there is no way I would contribute to it by buying more avos. Maybe the occasional one now and again or when we are out eating vegan sushi. Living up to your convictions isn't always easy!

Biggi