What a wild segue between backyard lemons and prejudice.

Here in Australia we have, in the supermarket, bags of 'ugly fruit' which are sold a little cheaper because they aren't perfect. I personally think they're more beautiful and are sad that a deformed apple or a blemished pear get sold as ugly.

The father of permaculture Bill Mollison said that if you don't plant a walnut tree, in twenty years you won't have walnuts. That's what I thought of with your father's lemon tree. I always think of that quote.

I'm sure it's a hard wired thing - like you say - we need to protect the gene pool, or protect our turf from the foreign invader. I'd like to think we have progressed past those base instincts but of course we haven't.

Great read as usual!