‘Can I Pick That?’ THE LEGALITIES OF EATING FOUND FRUIT
you can’t legally eat it without permission, but they also can’t take it without permission! To resolve this, sit down with your neighbors and hash out an agreement.) 3. When In Doubt, Thy State Wins Out The laws around picking fruit can be complicated. Some states don’t even follow the first two commandments! For example in California, you can legally take fruit from branches of a neighbor’s tree that extends into your yard. With this in mind, it’s always wise to research your state’s laws. If you’re still stumped after thorough research, then email a local lawyer or get in touch with a forager (visit RobGreenfield.org/FindaForager to locate one in your state) who will likely know the rules.
or city parks, or in medians. This doesn’t include sidewalks, which are explained in the next section.
In many parts of the U.S. right now, apples are dangling temptingly over fence lines and ripe pears are dropping onto sidewalks. This is the prime season for fall fruit, but if you live in an area where food grows rampant, then you probably think of it as both delicious and confusing. Be honest: How many times have you strolled down the street, spotted something tasty that was potentially on private property, and wondered, “Is it legal to pick that?”
2. Thou Shall Not Pick Thy Neighbor’s Fruit Unfortunately, when it comes to who owns a fruit tree, the trunk is what matters, not the branches! This means that even if your neighbor’s apple tree is bowing temptingly into your yard, the apples still belong to them because the tree was planted on their property. Unfortunately, in most places, this also applies to trees dropping fruit on the sidewalk. If the tree appears to be planted on private property, it’s best to leave the fruit be — or knock and ask if you can have it!
The 3 Commandments of Picking Fruit
1. Thou May Pick From Public Lands In most places, it’s perfectly legal to pick fruit from what the law website Nolo describes as “public trees” — trees that grow on public lands, in state
(Note: This gets hilariously complicated when your neighbor’s fruit falls onto your lawn. Now,
Decluttering Your Mind
Meetings, family gatherings, grocery lists, bills, weight loss, work, and dinner plans are just some of the things that constantly buzz through people’s minds all at once throughout the day. While humans are fantastic multitaskers, there is a breaking point — a system overload — where enough is enough. When this occurs, our minds just shut down and need a break and time to recharge. When your mind is chock full of clutter, you may easily lose focus and become restless. Sure, planning for the future and keeping mental to-do lists are important and productive, but when you have too much going on upstairs, it can be counterproductive.
unchangeable and things like past mistakes, relationships, missed opportunities, and grievances no longer serve you.
Limit new information. Today, more than ever, there is a surplus of
information on television, in the news, on social media, and in our daily lives. Try spending less time on social media, paying less attention to advertisements, unsubscribing from news sources that don’t serve a purpose to you, and disregarding opinions of others. Take actual notes. Instead of making mental lists in your head for work, shopping, weekend plans, and chores, write it down. This way, there is no need to store it in your head and you can free up some space. Make sure to breathe. Learning to breathe is one way to help avoid excess mind clutter. It is a huge stress reliever and can assist you in organizing all of the ideas spinning around in your head. Just breathe. Avoiding thoughts that collect dust in your mind is an important way to keep your mind healthy, happy, and positive. Just like our homes sometimes need tidying up, so do our minds. Happy cleaning!
To achieve clarity and get more done in less time, decluttering your mind is beneficial.
Start with the tangible items. When your world is cluttered around you, your head may mimic that. Physical clutter provides extra stimulation to your brain and your brain has to work hard to process it all. When your home, for example, is full of extra clutter, this sends a signal to your brain that something else needs to get done. Let it go. Dwelling over the past can eat up tons of room in your head. It is important to remember that the past is
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