North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Clifford Cain - uk yahoo <cc_syorks@yahoo.co.uk>]

Dear all
I should first declare that I am not a member, am in the UK and 
thoroughly enjoy reading the email list on ibiblio.  I grow and graft 
apples on a domestic scale, having a garden 28 x 14 meters, 
predominantly growing apples as vertical and oblique cordons, to 
maximise space. I am interested in heritage apples, but grow some modern 
cultivars (cvs).  I also have collections Quince (Cydonia oblonga) 8cvs, 
9cvs of container grown blueberries and several blackcurrants 5cvs, 
redcurrants 6 cvs, whitecurrants 2cvs and gooseberries 7cvs.  The 
climate of the UK is different from North America, but am advised that 
it is similar to Washington or BC without the extremes of heat or cold.  
We have just had a few bright warm days (10°C) today is overcast, grey 
and cold (3°C).  Quince rootstocks are just beginning to burst leaf, but 
not flowers on fruit as yet.  This movement is early.


I am a member of the Northern Fruit Group, a society of 384 members 
predominantly amateur growers, some professionals who share a common 
interest in fruit growing. It is an active group covering the whole of 
the North of England, offering members free summer and winter pruning, 
grafting and budding. Membership is £5 per year and includes 4 news 
letters which are 4 to 8 sheets of A4, b&w text.  Also have 4 meetings a 
year the August meeting being a visit.  Speakers are invited to the 
other meetings
I am also a member of the RHS and the RHS Fruit group, but as the 
activities are at Wisley I do not get down to their meetings, just read 
their quarterly newsletter.  I do not belong to any other gardening type 
associations.

So
Why am I not a member of NAFEX?
*One reason* - I do not have a credit card.  If I had I would part with 
the cash.  If the option to use Paypal I would use it

If the list was restricted to members, I would not have found out about 
NAFEX

I have learned a number of interesting fact, for instance the recent 
conversation regarding dwarfing inter stock pear and using Conference.  
On one of the NFG's allotment sites, pears on Quince do not grow.  As a 
result of this thread, we are not going to try inter stock of conference 
on Pyrus communis and see if that performs.
OK some of the items are definitely parochial; when talking of a product 
like grafting latex, I had to google for a translation as we only use 
grafting wax.  But that just adds to my knowledge.

No name change - at least the group name highlights where the majority 
of people are coming from.

Regards

Clifford Cain