Spearing figs

For the first year since I planted it (2015), our fig tree has produced ripe figs. Usually squirrels get the young figs when they're tiny, perhaps mistaking them for tasty nuts. They spit out the bitter remains in disgust.
This year I used chilli powder on and around the tree, and perhaps it has put them off at last. Or perhaps they've found better options elsewhere.

However, the ripest and tastiest figs are right at the top of the tree, well out of reach.  Hence today's Heath Robinson invention: a very sharp kitchen knife, lashed to a long garden stake with gaffer tape. This way Richard or I could perch on the ladder and detach the highest figs; they did end up splitting when they landed on the ground, but after a wash they were fine to eat. In fact they had almost begun to caramelise in the hot sunshine.  Delicious.

There are more figs lower down, and with luck those will ripen too.