North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Ribes60@aol.com]

Hello, Dr White,

 

I received several Emails indicating that you were seeking my Email address, that is funny, I asked Kevin Donnely if he knew your address or a way that I could reach you. He called to about 10 days ago to tell me that they were releasing some gooseberries that I had brought in more than 5 years ago.

 

My black currants have done very well and I will be picking up a fairly large quantity of black currant wine next week, I am taking the jugs to the fellow that makes my wine today. I quit making my own because this fellow makes a much better wine than I do, so we became "partners". My planting has grown to more than two acres now.

 

The fresh market sales of berries have increased very well each year, more than doubled each year. There are a fair number of Russians that have moved in to the area around Harrisburg and my berries are their only good, handy source of ribes. I had the best crop of red currants last year that I have ever had, really beautiful fruit.

 

Harry Swartz from U. of MD is doing some breeding of Ribes, some at the university and some here at my farm, and we have some pretty good blacks resulting from that project.

We started expanding some of the selections this year and probably will do some tissue culture propagation next year. We have some selections that are palatable (sweet) enough that people that have never tasted blacks eat them "out of hand". It just gets better each year.

 

I hope that you can visit here during July and see the project, taste some wine and try some berries and take some back with you. It has been a long bumpy road since we first met and I started growing ribes. Please let me know when and if you can visit, I look forward to seeing you again.

 

 

Ed Mashburn