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To expand on Richard Moyers comments re: black currants. I have run several taste tests here at my planting when I have had "Open House", I have about 50 named varieties plus several hundred seedlings from the breeding program. We have some seedlings that are really unpalatable, and I really like currants and they have to be a real "dog" for me to spit them out, but we have some that are that bad. We also have some that even people that have never tasted a currant like. I really think that in the next 5 or so years we will have black currants that will be used fresh more so than processed.

 

Cranberries are a fruit that is not often used fresh but is very good processed.

 

I have grown all the varieties recommended by Lucile Whitman and agree with her, some on the list yeild much better than others. I really like Silvergeiter but it does not yield as well as Ben Lomand. I grow more Ben Lomands than any other, but will be planting more of the Russians as I think they will lead the future. Minaj is certainly a very good variety, it is early and very high yielding. It is a large plant as is Titania and Ben Lomand.

 

I lso agree that black currants are one of the most reliable fruits that can be grown in the temporate or northern areas. Then can stand very low winter temps (40 below Zero) but do not like summer temps greater than 90 to 95 (F)

 

Ed Mashburn