Moral-Legal, would you?

Hi from the extremist, sorry if I was raised not to steal. Read over the post some asked questions some said one way or the other eighteen said I would steal, twenty four said not to steal. I have never shot anyone for stealing, I have turned three over to the sheriff and pressed charges. Once I walked into a armed robbery and when I saw the guns I defended my self. I spent years training police officers how to react to guns being pulled. But at least most of the people here would be welcome to my farm, some would be welcome but watched because they said they would steal apples, Maw hide the silver ware. and if you point a gun at me or mine I will do my best to stop you. One of the people I turned over to the sheriff had a weapon but left it in his belt. The sheriff took it. He knows my past and told the man lucky you did not pull your weapon. Extremeist, nut job, I just do not have gray areas honest people are great, dishonest I have no use for them. I do not subscribe to the situational ethics thinking, right is right and wrong is wrong.

Not your property, not your apples, not yours to take.

Like everyone else said, try to find who owns the place and contact them to see if it's ok. If not this year, then maybe next year.

And like someone else said, what if there are people/family who own the place and they check on the apples, waiting to pick them? How would you feel if it were you checking on them only to later find someone had stolen them? How terribly unfair that would be.

A couple of years ago I stopped & asked someone that had gobs of apples on their trees. They were very nice. She told me to take what I wanted. I picked 59 (5 gallon) buckets) of apples tha year. I later went back & took her some fresh chickens I had just butchered. Last year she called me to see if I wanted soem again. Apples here do really well every other year.
I would not take something that I had no permission to take. It seems a lot of people today view lying & stealing as no big deal. Just shows the decline in the morals of this country. I have lots of fruit trees in my yard. They aren't producing much yet, but when they do I would be happy to share after we harvest what we want. I would not be happy to see someone stealing them.

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I can't believe I deleted it!

Shadow; I`m glad you explained yourself a bit better, I had you pegged as a nut job at first also. Glad you cleared up a few things, and I hope no ill feelings. > Thanks Marc

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Shadow, I have to laugh at your idea of theft!
By your statement, you would watch me like a hawk if I stepped on your land!
Yet, I adjusted my tab at the Amish butcher's last week when they forgot to deduct my latest purchase!
Such a conundrum!
LOL

You can find the owner of the land easily at the county assessors office. they list the name and address of every person that owns any real estate in the state. And yes that is public information. Send em a letter asking permission.

If you "stepped on my land" you would be stepping past my no trespassing signs. Your outcome would vary but I can guarantee you that being watched like a hawk would be the least of your worries.

No conundrums.

Bank of America probably foreclosed on the property ...

Yes, it's only some apples........That do not Belong to you.
I was brought up that "Taking anything that doesn't belong to you, with out permission is Stealing. Stealing is Immoral. Cheating is Immoral." It's Illegal, as well.

I guess if I knew someone who thought it was Alright to Steal, I'd think Twice, or three times before keeping that person as a Friend. Then, I'd cut them loose. Simple as That!
I have cut some folks loose, because "They Lied to Me." My DSW is the same way.
I don't Lie. And, I won't tolerate a Liar, or a Thief.
Everyone has "Standards they live by." Or not!

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Hanging over the road or right-of-way, theoretically they belong to everyone. A bank might very well say no, in case you injured yourself & then sued 'em. Any neighbors who would have info as to former/current owner if not foreclosed?

I'd attempt to find the ownership records via the county website or a phone call, and then I'd contact the owner (be it a bank or individual) and request their permission to enter their property and take the apples.

Character is doing the right thing, even when nobody is looking.

Someone owns them and might be just waiting for the right time to pick them. I'll never forget my parents owned a small property with a barn and shed and 40 acres, there was 3 cherry trees there. Two years in a row, someone picked the cherries a day or two before mom and dad planned on picking. Dad was so mad he cut down the cherry trees. Just because no one is there to say "those are mine" doesn't mean they don't belong to anyone. Ask, and you might find an owner who is willing to share.

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* I'm supposed to respect my elders, but its getting harder and harder for me to find one. .*-

Not necessarily. Not in Kansas anyway. Same thing applies to hunting, my right to ownership extends to the middle of the dirt road, If you shoot anything in the right of way , you better have the permission of the landowner on that side of the road.

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* I'm supposed to respect my elders, but its getting harder and harder for me to find one. .*-

In NC I own to the middle of the road.
Right of way is for state and public works.
Not the general public.
By the way, in NC its illegal to hunt or
shoot from a public road.

I'm neither Christian nor Jew, but for what its worth far as the morals from those religions:

And if the owner harvests nothing, then I would assume its morally there for the gleaners once the season has ended and the other farmers have harvested the same varietal crops.

Personally if I own property with fruit trees and dont live there, nor have a caretaker, I would assume most likely either some human or animal will make use of it and that there is little chance that I could ever time things to get any of harvest myself. Its hard enough out manuevering racoons, human neighbors, and such when one lives within 100 foot of the dang tree.

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"What would you do with a brain if you had one?" -Dorothy

"Well, then ignore what I have to say and go with what works for you." -Eliot Coleman

Wow "extreme" apple drama.

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You are confined only by the walls you build yourself.

i'm unable to take anything. it was just my upbringing. father drummed into us that theivin was the worst thing. i was at the thrift store a week ago and had my purchase paid for when i found out the guy told me the wrong price and he said forget it he would pay the rest because it was his fault. it was only something like 5 dollars. i had to pay it right there or i wouldn't have slept easily. i had a job to get the guy to take it.

i feel more or less the same as HJ though. i have some land outside the city where i was waiting patiently for my winters blueberries. when i went to get them they had all been picked. i thought it was the birds but found out it was a person a few doors down. they hadn't seen me there every weekend so thought i wasn't coming back. they know now and will leave my apples alone so at least i'll have those. the blueberries i have bought. no need for me to make bad friends over it. i hate to see things go to waste too. there's a dogaberry tree just a few minutes away loaded down. they are not in anyones yard . just between the highways and tucked out of the way.we use to use them for jelly. i want them so bad. i watch them every year go to waste but can't make myself touch them. ~Georgia.

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Georgians

Not on two of the houses
There's nothing there right now but the empty houses and a cotton field

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I'd find out who owned the property.
If a bank owned it, I would pick them. The bank MUST say no if you ask, in case you sue (you can't sue if you're trespassing) but otherwise has to pay someone to come clean up the drops so they can show the place. They are actually counting on someone or something getting them.

If it belongs to an individual, I would be sure to ask and get permission. Then share a little.
I remember years ago a close neighbor had a starfruit tree. I asked about it and was told to take all I wanted, they only ate one fresh once in a while and it would save them raking them up (I asked when I saw them out raking)
I LOVE starfruit and it makes awesome jam, they appreciated a little jam now and then.
When I heard they were selling the house I made sure to stop picking, so there would be ripe fruit for the new folks. I thought I'd wait a week after they moved in to ask them about the fruit, because it was a huge old tree and unless they canned, there was too much fruit for any family to eat.
Two days after they moved in they cut the tree down to "not have to deal with the mess"
I cried for that lovely old tree, and resolved that in any such situation again, I'd be right there with a jar of jam as a housewarming gift.

Fruit trees really are a nuisance to some people, lots of folks are happy to have you strip it bare - but still ask first.

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A ship in the harbor may be safe, but that's not what ships are built for

Not at all.

Here it's illegal to remove ANY vegetation or pick fruit from a right of way.

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