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nafex - [NAFEX] Paw-paw taste, and why bother

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  • From: Darel Snodgrass <dareljudy@bellsouth.net>
  • To: 'North American Fruit Explorers' <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [NAFEX] Paw-paw taste, and why bother
  • Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2011 20:54:48 -0500

Hi all,
I've been working on an heirloom apple/peach/pear orchard for the past few years; I haven't contributed to the group, because frankly I haven't had anything useful to contribute, but I have learned a lot, and I'm grateful to all of you for that.

I see a lot of interest here in paw-paws, and I just have to say, what the heck? I grew up in deep rural northeastern Arkansas, paw-paws grow wild all over the place. We always picked up a few along the creek when they were ripe, ate them and said "well, that's about enough for this year." Someone smarter than me said one paw-paw pie a year is about enough.

I understand that the group is interested in unusual (and especially native) fruit, but the paw-paw is just about the most bland, nothing "there" -there fruit I know, and I grew up with the darned things. My dad persists in trying to transplant them from the woods to his orchard (difficult, long tap-root), but I think this is more of a horticultural challenge than anything else, he's no fonder of the fruit than I am (and he REALLY grew up with them, he's 81 and living on the farm he was born on)(still gets out and prunes and sprays and picks his apples and peaches, just transplanted a bunch of blueberries a couple weeks ago, I hope I'm that healthy at his age).

BTW, I'm not a native-fruit chauvinist, there are several wild persimmons on my farm (excellent jam), and well as numerous black walnuts, hickory nuts, blackberries, and wild grapes (I let the birds have them).

So I guess I just want to know, what's the attraction? Why the interest? Am I missing out on something I should know about? I've eaten a lot of paw-paws, but I can't honestly say I would go to the trouble of cultivating one, when there are so many more interesting (and tasty) fruits out there.

Thanks all,
Darel Snodgrass
Memphis (orchard near Salem, MO)







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