When is Trespassing O.K?

Diamond and I have been roaming our country roads in search of wild plum and blackberry thickets, with good success on the plums and tagging the locations of not-quite-ripe blackberries for future adventures.

Yesterday, we were picking wild plums along the side of one of our country roads when I looked across the road and spotted dots of red on the wrong side of a barbed wire fence. Upon closer investigation, I saw a thicket of plum trees that was begging us to investigate. We faced a dilemma - a barbed wire fence separated us from the plums; a “No Trespassing” sign, while rather old and faded, was tacked to a tree along the fence line; a huge “For Sale” sign boldly displayed about 50 yards down the road announced that this property is on the market. I was torn. On one hand, I didn’t want to trespass. On the other hand, the property is for sale, and I could be a potential buyer. Would it really be trespassing if Diamond and I scaled the fence and took a look at this plot of land that the sign told us consisted of 544 acres?

I kept looking at the plum trees, and knew I couldn’t just leave them alone. Searching for a break in the rusty barbed wire, Diamond and I walked a little way up the road and discovered a makeshift gate across an entrance to the property. Looking in both directions to see if any cars were coming up the road, and feeling sure that we wouldn’t be seen, we ducked under the wire that served as a gate. It wasn’t much of a barrier, and I felt better about trespassing with each second. I rationalized that should I be caught, I could give back the plums, or better yet, offer to share my wild plum jelly. Who wouldn’t want me picking their plums for a few jars of my delicious jelly?

We made our way through the blackberry brambles, and finally were standing under more plums than I’ve ever seen in one place. The land was undisturbed, and it was evident that neither human beings or farm machinery had touched this ground for a long, long time. I felt sure that the owner, whoever he or she might be, probably didn’t have any idea that the plum grove was there or that it mattered a bit that I was risking my clean police record by trespassing. I began picking and filling my bucket. As many plums fell from the limbs as I disturbed them as I was able to capture. This further eased my lessening sense of guilt – the plums would be falling to the ground with the next stiff breeze, anyway. I was in actuality rescuing them from the ants or from rotting on the ground! Diamond kept her eyes out for critters, and my ears were tuned to the road, listening for passing traffic. Neither of us heard a thing, and within ten minutes, my bucket was full of the most beautiful red plums I’ve ever seen and we were on our way home.

As I was safe in my kitchen washing, cooking, and straining the plums preparing them for jelly, my guilty conscience entirely cleared. No longer was I concerned about stepping a few feet into private property. I tasted a plum, confirming that they not only were the most beautiful plums I’ve ever seen, but the best tasting, as well. Fifteen jars of jelly later, I felt a great sense of accomplishment.

Last night after dinner, I drove Phil past the scene of the crime. I wanted approval and confirmation that what Diamond and I had done earlier in the day wasn’t such a terrible thing. The property looked the same as it had earlier in the day- undisturbed, untended, and un-cared for. Phil assured me that what I had done wasn’t such a terrible thing - Diamond and I hadn’t destroyed property, vandalized, hunted, camped, or littered, which was what the “No Trespassing” sign warned against.

So ended the exciting day where I broke the law without getting caught. I may sneak back over there later this week to get some more plums!