North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Kieran or Donna" <redherring@tnaccess.com>]

Lon wrote:  Not to sound too grim, but NAFEX may need to serve the same
purpose that
monasteries did during the Dark Ages - keep varieties and knowledge alive
until the need for them comes again.

    Actually, this is exactly what I have thought for years about the skills
and knowlege I have acquired.  I keep SSE seeds for posterity also.
    I haven't been keeping up with the NAFEX posts, I have been researching
and talking and emailing about iron overload, but what's the point of
helping people live longer in the kind of world we see looming ahead?  Time
to throw in my talents with Dr. Kevorkian instead....    anyway, I haven't
been impressed with Organic Gardening the last 15 or so years (my parents
kept giving me gift subscriptions) except for the brief time McGee was
editor.  But it's pretty shocking to hear it's going.  My grandmother
subscribed to it, back when it included "And Farming" in the title. I was
just a suburban kid, but I stuffed myself on cherry tomatoes ripe off the
vine during the week at grandma's each summer.  .  I have never quite
forgiven her for having given all her back issues to the library instead of
to me.  I was tremendously impressed by their plum article some 16 years
ago, still have it though the info does not work for Tennessee.  Doreen
could have told me that I suppose.
    I much prefer ACRES USA, and they might run something on NAFEX.  They
probably already have, since NAFEXers like Harvey Lisle write for them
sometimes.  We really get around, dont we?  Instead of a simple promo, they
might want something on individual NAFEXers and what they are doing, plus
how to join.
    As for Starks, I have tasted their Starking Delicious pear, and although
it was nicelooking and sweet and the testure was good, and the tree shape
was great, the pears themselves had no taste at all.  On the other hand, I
have had some REAL Red Delicious, and they were very good.  It's just the
last 396 of the 400 newer sports that gave RD a bad name.
    Gordon's comments on greenhouse costs probably mean more food from 3rd
world countries, and less self sufficiency for the US food wise.  If we were
ever cut off from outside, it's probably amateurs like us who always produce
too much food that would be our neighbors only protection against
starvation.  Japan had the right idea when they kept rice prices high (to
keep their farmers in business) and foreign rice out.     Donna


 

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