The answer is: Consider it forbidden fruit

Lev 19:23 - The fruit was considered forbidden for the first three years to ensure healthy growth.

In Leviticus 19:23, we find a fascinating command concerning newly planted trees: the Israelites were to consider the fruit as forbidden for the first three years. This custom isn’t just about the fruit; it’s deeply symbolic and practical. By allowing the tree to establish itself without harvesting its bounty too soon, the people learned the value of patience and respect for the land.

Fun trivia! Did you know that some ancient cultures believed uprooting fruit from young trees too quickly, or too soon after planting, could curse the tree? This highlights a broader wisdom valued in many traditions: understanding that nurturing takes time. The spiritual growth of individuals and communities works on the same principle!

This practice of not consuming the fruit also likely served as a metaphor for self-discipline and delayed gratification, traits valuable across numerous life facets. Moreover, observing this distinctive agricultural tradition helped to strengthen the Israelites' connection with their divine instructions and their environment.

After this three-year period, the Israelites were allowed to eat the fruit, marking it as a turnaround from caution to blessing— profoundly embodying how, in the right season, the fully formed tree produces nourishing offerings. This principle resonates through scripture—from sowing and reaping illustrations to the idea of bearing good fruit in one’s life as moral and spiritual growth develops over time. It's a total win-win for farming and farming life lessons!