The sweetest fruit on the mountain

There's nothing like being able to reach up and grab a ripe piece of fruit when you're hungry, especially if that fruit happens to be a pomegranate.

Such was the luck of the photographer who captured this scene, in which a few white swirls decorate a fresh autumn sky over this pomegranate orchard in the Israeli Judean mountains.

While these particular fiery trees are growing in the northern area of the country, most Israeli pomegranate trees grow in southern Israel. They ripen from late August through March, with October as the prime month for harvesting.

And people everywhere are excited for this harvest: Israel exports nearly half of its annual supply to countries throughout the world.

The demand is understandable. In addition to being steeped in world mythology and tradition, pomegranates are rich in vitamins and antioxidants, with a whole host of health benefits.

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