This is red dirt country
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381739)
Rockingham, Australia
September 29, 2022 8:45am CST
We are house-sitting in Grass Valley in Western Australia and I’ve been struck by the different terrain here from our previous house-sit in Yabberup. The latter is all hills and lush green grass but here, the dirt is red with a lot of clay in the soil. There is little vegetation around the house block.
There are orange and lemons trees near the house and today I raked up the fallen fruit to put in the bin. I also had an orange straight off the tree – very nice! Both trees still have flowers which rather surprised me. Maybe that’s normal – to have flowers, buds and fruit all at the same time.
14 people like this
16 responses
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Sep 22
Here in the US, the states of Alabama and Georgia (just north of where I live in Florida) are known as red dirt country from all the clay they have in the soil. There’s not much clay in north Florida where I live, but in central Florida (where Disney World is), there is also lots of clay. The citrus industry used to thrive in that area until Disney World came to town and turned central Florida into a tourist mecca. All that citrus farmland is now housing developments and shopping centers.
4 people like this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
30 Sep 22
@JudyEv Population growth and all that “progress” I guess.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (381739)
• Rockingham, Australia
30 Sep 22
@moffittjc Yes, something like that. 
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (174208)
• United States
29 Sep 22
You're getting to experience so many new things to you. The lemon tree looks very nice!
When I was a kid, mom planted lemon, lime and orange seeds to see if she could grow them. (Those are all tropical/subtropical fruits and my area definitely gets too cold for them to grow and produce fruit.) Mom nursed three lime trees until they were about five feet tall and grew limes... She was so happy about them producing fruit!
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (174208)
• United States
30 Sep 22
@JudyEv And I do the same thing. The bamboo I raised for years at the other house isn't supposed to be able to live and grow here. I thought it was beautiful and wanted it in my yard.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381739)
• Rockingham, Australia
30 Sep 22
@DaddyEvil Good for you. Unfortunately none of my mother's skills rubbed off on me.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (135583)
• Marion, Ohio
30 Sep 22
I wish we could grow those trees here.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (135583)
• Marion, Ohio
30 Sep 22
@JudyEv We have apple, pear, peach, cherry, paw paw, and mulberry to name a few.
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (222222)
• United States
29 Sep 22
I like green vegetation. That's why I don't care for Arizona. It's too dry.
2 people like this
@arunima25 (93194)
• Bangalore, India
30 Sep 22
The orange tree looks loaded with oranges. You can enjoy some more till you stay there. I must say that these houses where you have been going for house sitting are in beautiful location. Good for a get away vacation.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381739)
• Rockingham, Australia
30 Sep 22
@arunima25 Yes, that's the good thing about it.
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (93194)
• Bangalore, India
30 Sep 22
@JudyEv That all sounds fun. A win win situation for both parties. You get the vacation and they get their houses cared for in their absence 
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (208746)
• United States
29 Sep 22
You should see some of the soil in the Western parts of Kentucky and Georgia. Just straight up red.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381739)
• Rockingham, Australia
30 Sep 22
It's redder up north too. Lots of iron in the soil and it's where much of our iron ore and minerals are mined.
@allknowing (153544)
• India
30 Sep 22
Very interesting that there are no weeds around
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (91299)
• United States
29 Sep 22
What a lovely paradise place with the tress Judy..I like red dirt too.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381739)
• Rockingham, Australia
30 Sep 22
It might need to do better than an inch a year. Will it fruit if it's grown from seed? Some fruit tree varieties don't.
@JudyEv (381739)
• Rockingham, Australia
30 Sep 22
People complain a bit here as, when someone has lemons, everyone has lemons and you can't give them away but otherwise they are pricey here too.
@JudyEv (381739)
• Rockingham, Australia
30 Sep 22
Every place has its own attractions that's for sure.
