North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Lon J. Rombough" <lonrom@hevanet.com>]

This may seem elementary, but after the freeze damage in much of the central part of the country, this is an excellent year to go fruit exploring.  Not just for fruits that escaped the freeze, but for varieties and species that do unusual things, like produce a crop from secondary shoots.  Also, the shock of the freeze is apt to bring out sports from buried buds forced into life by the damage to the trees.  There was a spate of new apple sports in Washington State after a freeze in the 1950's froze trees back to the main limbs and forced many old buried buds.
So keep your eyes peeled for anything unexpected this year.  There is an excellent chance that there will be some hidden treasures coming out of the event.
-Lon Rombough
Grapes, writing, consulting, my book, The Grape Grower, at http://www.bunchgrapes.com  Winner of the Garden Writers Association "Best Talent in Writing" award for 2003. 
For even more grape lessons, go to  http://www.grapeschool.com
For growing supplies and more;  http://www.grapegrowersolutions.com