Pineapple - Thrives on Neglect

Keanui & Yann feeling the warmth of the Famous Pineapple

One twist and she comes off with a slight parting sound. The fruit is still warm from the sunlight. Yann has picked his first pineapple and could not be any prouder!



It was a long project for us of many attempts of trial and error. It mostly resulted in error but we finally got it right and our pineapple started taking off. The pineapple is a funny fruit so delicious and tropical, a royal’s delicacy and yet it doesn’t take much else than patience to grow it! When we first set out to grow pineapple, we watered it, weeded around it, fed it. In other words, we really looked after it. It would somehow die, sooner or later. Until one day a friend from Australia told us an Aussie proverb saying: Pineapple thrives on neglect.

And neglected it has been!!!

Yann and I thought that it was the only thing that we had not tried. So we decided to be really really mean to our pineapple and not even look at it anymore! With time we had almost forgotten that we had planted the crown of our last farmers market pineapple of the past season. And one day Yann runs into the house, cheeks rose with excitement and proclaims: “Papa, we have a baby pineapple!” It took about another six months from that moment until we could harvest it. But what an experience this was and what a life lesson: sometimes all it takes is time and a bit of patience!

Papa papa, it's almost ready!

Yann had his little routine after school. He would get out of the car and check on his fruits. I told him once that sunlight makes the pineapple very sweet. His would control the quality daily to ensure that the fruit was warm. Mmmh Papa, it looks yummy!

Papa, it's warm from the Sonne ("sun" is German!)

And how are the most beautiful things in life best experienced? Shared with good people! Yann was so proud that he wanted to harvest and share his pineapple with his friends. So we had a special play date after school, and fair it is to say that we didn’t get much ourselves!!! 

Keanui, Leah & Yann loving the juicy fruit. Perfect snack after school!


Luckily for us the pineapple had an offspring so we planted it as well as the crown of the juicy fruit we devoured. With a bit of luck and patience we will be able to enjoy two pineapples next year. Apparently, it takes another 12 months from crown to fruit. The season in the Cook Islands is November, December and January. Patience it is son. Patience it is.

See you in 12 months!

Location: Arai-Te-Tonga Rd, Avarua District, Cook Islands

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