Harvest
Once a date tree is successfully planted it constitutes an economic plant returning good yearly yields for little labour. A mature date tree supplied with sufficient water and natural fertilizer (Sibalah, زبالة) will produce in-between two and three sacks (Shawal, شوال) each about 75 kilos (1 Shawal = 15 Ruba' = 123.75 litres. The exact amount depends strongly on the date variety, the specific growing conditions and age of the palm tree. A survey of the region in 1995 reported an average ownership of 26 date trees per household, producing approximately 900 kg annually .
Traditionally the harvest is stored in old water jars (Sir, زيرor Gerr, جرّ) that are preparatorily lined with ash. A further layer of ash on top seals it and protects the fruits from maggots (Sus, سوس), (cf. Material Culture of the Manasir).
Read more about this topic: Date Cultivation In Dar Al-Manasir
Famous quotes containing the word harvest:
“For I have had too much
Of apple-picking: I am overtired
Of the great harvest I myself desired.”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)
“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few...”
—Bible: New Testament, Matthew 9:37.
“They may bring their fattest cattle and richest fruits to the fair, but they are all eclipsed by the show of men. These are stirring autumn days, when men sweep by in crowds, amid the rustle of leaves like migrating finches; this is the true harvest of the year, when the air is but the breath of men, and the rustling of leaves is as the trampling of the crowd.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)