Mile one: apples. Mile two: peaches. Mile three: crab apples.

Come late Summer to early Autumn, Denver neighborhoods turn into pomicultural playgrounds, each block featuring ready-to-pick local fresh produce.

As I headed home after a late afternoon run, I turned the block and followed my feet on the sidewalk until I stepped on something squishy. I was trampling upon fruit like a wine maker mashes grapes in the Tuscan countryside. I thought to keep running, however the bees had a different idea; The pollinators dotted my path, busily landing on the pulverized nectar. Stopping in my tracks, I looked above me to find a secret urban orchard. The fragrant smell of sweet peaches made me forget about the bees and about my run. In the middle of my day dreaming about the simple pleasures of life, a nice woman walked out onto her porch and said, “Please take as many as you can! We can’t eat them fast enough and the bees love them too much!” Kindly accepting her offer, I folded my shirt into a pouch, piled in as many peaches as I could, and slurped juicy peaches all the way home.

Peaches are not the only fresh fruit in Denver! On my very own block, a lovely woman named Bree grows apples and gives them out to runners, walkers, and any passers-by. She is a petite friendly women who enjoys sharing her apple harvest and a good story.

The crab apple trees that seem more bothersome than fruitful are perfect for making jam. Last year, my students and I collected all the apples we could manage, made jam, and had a tea party with homemade Irish scones!

If you find yourself walking the neighborhood and catch a sweet breeze, look around! You may just be in the middle of a grove of local produce waiting to be picked. Don’t forget to ask first!

(Click on each fruit above for yummy recipes)!