Welcome!
Redwood Chapter membership is $5 per year in addition to the CRFG $30
membership, and includes events (below), an interesting fruit-gardeners'
newsletter, an online discussion forum where you can get answers from experts,
and great cameraderie! All CRFG members are welcome.
See the bottom of the page to join.
Most activities are in Sonoma, Napa and Mendocino Counties, north of the Golden
Gate Bridge.
You can find copies of recent chapter newsletters, events schedules and photos
of events here.
There are literally thousands of varieties of trees, vines and shrubs that
bear edible fruit. Most people are familiar with only the most common varieties
of fruits that are available commercially in stores. Many of these commercial
varieties are available primarily because of the durability of the fruit for
shipping, handling and storage rather than for best flavor. Even though the
best tasting fruits can be too fragile for commercial distribution, they are
perfectly suited to the home-gardener. Anyone with at least a six foot
by six foot patch of open sunlight can successfully grow a tree with delicious
fruits, even if only in a box of soil on pavement. Some fruit-bearing
vines, like strawberries, can even grow from a hanging basket without using
any ground at all. Properly selected fruit-bearing plants can also be used for
edible landscaping, proving a pleasing visual display in addition to gourmet
treats. Multiple fruit varieties can be grown on the same plant by means of
simple grafting techniques, resulting in a "fruit salad" tree!
Many of the best tasting fruits are only available from specialty catalogs and
growers, or through hobbyist organizations like California Rare Fruit Growers
(CRFG). CRFG promotes interest in all aspects of fruit growing, with special
emphasis on rare and unusual fruits. North Bay CRFG members in "Luther
Burbank country" get together regularly to taste fruits, trade plants,
and to swap tips on local growing techniques and what grows best in local conditions
and micro-climate pockets. One local meeting featured over 100 different locally-grown
fruits to taste!
Calendar of Scheduled Events
An annual event, usually the last week of every January, open
to the public, is the CRFG Redwood Chapter scion (cuttings) and plant exchange
where commonly over 500 varieties of common, rare and experimental scions and
plants from all over Northern California are available free or at minimal charge.
There are grafting and planting demonstration classes for beginners, plus experts
and hobbyists to answer questions for more advanced gardeners. Some cuttings
available, like grapes and figs, don't need to be grafted and can be planted
directly in the ground. Custom trees can be created for attendees on-the-spot
by experts for a small donation. Bring bags, tape and pens to mark your acquisitions.
Members get in one hour early for best selection, so join (you can join at the
door)! Member access 10:00AM to 2:00 PM (volunteers start at 8:30AM), general
public access 11:00AM to 2:00 PM. More information here.
The second annual event open to the public is the annual Plant Sale
Fund Raiser.
The club grafts many interesting trees for sale in 5 gallon pots at really low
prices, and members donate a wide variety of fruiting plants. The Plant Sales
are on a Sunday in July from 9:00AM until 1:00 or 2:00PM at the Midgley's Country
Flea Market in Sebastopol, 2200 Gravenstein Hwy South (aka Hwy 116). Come early
for best selection. Members get to reserve or buy trees in advance (by contacting
Djubaya at 707-824-4408, below), another reason to join! More information
here.
August is the annual summer scion exchange, particularly for greenwood grafting, like peaches, avocados and citrus. Attendance is limited to members, but you can join at the event in Petaluma. Please bring scions of any thing you have in a ziplock bag with a sprinkle of water. If you have any ripe fruit please bring some for all to taste.Contact Phil Pieri for details and directions at 707-795 6574. More information here.
Other
Redwood CRFG has planned (and spontaneous!) events throughout the year, including
garden tours, fruit tastings, juice pressings, summer greenwood scion exchange,
and classes .
(you have to be a member and on our local email list to get notice of unscheduled
events by email) More information here.
The club has also purchased a modern electric cider-press for loan to members. Members must attend a training prior to using the press. Contact Phil or David (below) for details.
Report on the Apple Cider Pressing
Members gathered at Greg and Trudy Flick's house to learn the techniques
of making fresh cider with the new press, and took home a gallon each of the
best, freshest cider made from organic heritage apples. They rendered about
20-25 gallons of cider, and used some of it to wash down a potluck and BBQ.
Yum! They also blended some pears 50/50 with apples. We have a pretty substantial
list of folks that have been trained on the press, and the press is working
wonderfully.
Reminder: you have to complete a training first to use the press. Contact
Phil or David (below) for details.
Report on the Luther Burbank Goldridge Farm heritage apple
fence.
Members installed a row of approximately 20 varieties of espallier-trained
apple trees, in order of blossoming, a year ago at the Gold
Ridge Farm in Sebastopol. The trees will be trained to cross each other
in a classical fence motif. The Farm is open to the public for self-guided tours.
Contact Phil Pieri (below) if you would like to participate in managing/training
the trees.
New Member Grafting Class Report
A workshop for new members was hosted by David Ulmer in Sebastopol.
Thanks to grafting demonstrators Mike Roa, Kalia Kliban, Louis Hunt, Gregory
Flick, Benjamin Schmid, and David Ulmer, 25 new members whittled and sliced
on practice scions and then chose rootstock to graft and take home. Thanks to
Savita Wilder for greeting and welcoming all the new members.
Redwood Empire CRFG Online Discussion List Report
Where do you go when you want to find out whether you can grow pawpaws in your
garden here in Sonoma/Napa/Mendocino/Lake County? Who can you ask about getting
cuttings of your favorite fruitwood close to home? What's the best way to stay
informed about all the activities and events going on in the Redwood Empire
group? Our online discussion list is the perfect way to stay in touch even if
you can't get to the regular meetings or events. Any list member is welcome
to post questions, information or shoptalk, and you'll reach all the other folks
in the group who are currently on the list. The discussion list is a Yahoo-groups
list open to any CRFG member. It's relatively low-traffic, about 3-5 messages
a week with occasional flurries around particular events or fascinating questions.
Limited to CRFG members. Thanks to listserve member Kalia for her volunteer
efforts! Want to join? Email Randy
for instructions.
Member Benefits Report
The amazing Trudy Wilkinson has set up an account for CRFG members to buy plants
at a 10% discount at Harmony Nursery in Sebastopol. Irrigation supplies -depending
on items- may also be subject to varying discounts. Just mention our account
# 5974.
Not to be outdone, Mike Roa has also obtained a 10% discount from Bassagnani
Nursery in Sebastopol. Show your CRFG card on the back of your issue of Fruit
Gardener.
Report on the Kendall Jackson Garden Tour
CRFG-R had about 35 members and their guests attend a special tour of the Kendall-Jackson
vegetable and fruit gardens at their hospitality center on Fulton Road. Patricia
Rossi, their master gardener, led the tour. Members were amazed to learn that
the intensive 3 acre garden is farmed exclusively by Patricia and three helpers
(nary a weed was to be found!), and that the produce is almost entirely consumed
on site at KJ events. The vegetable garden is planted under an old walnut grove,
with many fruit trees intermingled. When questioned about walnut root toxicity
to other plantings, Patricia informed the group that their findings were that
toxicity did not extend more than 8 feet from the tree trunks, so they plant
to that point. In addition to 175 varieties of tomatoes, the garden contains
separate sub-gardens for herbs for food with red wine, herbs for food with white
wine, Italian, French, Asian and other ethnic cooking. Fruit trees include espalliered
apples & pears, citrus, avocado, stone fruits and others. About a third
of the group stayed after the tour to share a potluck of fruit tasting, dominated
by a variety of plums. A visit to this garden is highly recommended at any time,
open to the public. Nibbling is encouraged! See the list above for more events.
What is a Scion (cuttings for grafting) Exchange?
For our new chapter members and guests, this article explains the basics of
a scion exchange.
What Will I find at the Exchange?
A large room filled with rows of cafeteria-style tables. Most of the tables
are covered with gallon-size bags of dormant cuttings from hundreds of varieties
of fruit and nut trees such as apple, peach, pear, nuts, and persimmons. You
will also find some cuttings from evergreen fruiting plants, whole plants, gardening
catalogs, seeds, roots, inexpensive information sheets, and sometimes grafting
supplies.
What do I do at the Exchange?
Select 1-3 pieces of each type of thing you want to propagate, clearly label
each item, get answers to your questions about how to make the stuff grow once
you get it home, and enjoy the company of others who are interested in growing
unusual edibles. If possible, bring something from your own garden to share:
seeds of your favorite vegetable, cuttings from an heirloom fruit tree, specialties
from your family's native county, etc., LABELED PLEASE. (see labeling, below).
Please do not bring scions of patented plants like Pluots®
and Plumcots®, to respect plant-breeders' rights.
What if I don’t know about Grafting?
We will teach you. Grafting is the process by which a piece of one plant is
attached to a different kind of plant (such as a Fuji apple twig on a seedling
apple rootstock). The Exchanges include grafting demonstration that will show
you how to graft, and experienced chapter members who can tell you what plant
combinations will be successful. Still don't think grafting is for you? Many
types of scions such as fig, kiwi, cactus and pomegranate can be easily rooted
in ordinary garden dirt. Out chapter has grafting workshops throughout the year.
What will this cost?
Redwood Chapter asks members for $5 donation at the door, to help defray the
costs of renting the room. Rootstocks are usually available for a small fee,
and custom grafting of your selections by expert grafters is also often available
for a small fee. Come early for this service if interested, as rootstock often
sells out early. There is a small charge for pamphlets, grafting supplies, etc.,
which depends on our cost for the materials. With occasional exceptions, the
scions, tubers, etc., are free.
Can I bring a friend?
Yes, please do! The Exchange is open to the public beginning at 11:AM, and will
be
advertised in various local newspapers.
Tips on Cutting & Storing Scions
-Look around your garden. What do you have that is dormant and which could be
pruned to yield scions for grafting, budding, or rooting? What could you bring
to the Exchange as bareroot plants?
-Cut scions and dig plants as dose to the Exchange date as possible, while the
donor plant is still dormant but BEFORE the buds begin to swell. Some of your
prunings may be too old and hard to be useful, while others may be too young
and tender. Generally cuttings from the current season growth make more successful
scions. Look for the wrinkly joint and slight change in bark color at 1"
to 24" from the tips to distinguish new growth from second season or older
growth. A book like Sunset Pruning and Grafting can help you decide what to
keep and what to discard for any given species. Or bring the prunings to the
Exchange and ask for help.
-Cut each scion 4" to 8" long. Aim to have at least 4 buds on each
piece. Cut the bottom of each piece square and the top end at a diagonal so
others can tell which end is up.
-Label your scions and store them in' plastic bags to prevent drying. Keep roots
of bare root plants in damp sawdust or damp dirt.
-Store scions in the refrigerator (NOT IN THE FREEZER) or a cold basement.
-Before coming to the Exchange, place all the scions of one kind together in
a plastic bag, preferably a l gallon ZIPLOC bag to preclude the bother of twist-ties.
Label each bag.
Suggested label format:
Label (as many of the following as possible) Common name, variety, Latin name,
important info., donor name, donor telephone #, where grown, growing conditions
(just include the info you have, i.e., “unknown dark skinned fig, sweet
pink flesh, grows great in Berkeley flatlands”)
Chapter Contacts
Note: at = @ to foil spam email harvesters
Chairperson & main contact:
Phil Pieri
707-795-6574
phil_p_2001 at yahoo.com
Bio-Managers:
Keith Borglum 707-576-7250, or David Ulmer 707-824-1650
keith at borglum.com or davidu9999 at gmail.com
Treasurer:
Michael Lee
mlee at sonic.net
Secretary & Librarian:
Michael Roa
294 Murphy Ave
Sebastopol, CA 95472
707-829-5867
mroa at sonic.net
Listserv Moderator: contact him to get on the emailing list
or go to http://groups.google.com/group/recrfg
Randy Mitchell
shovel at homewine.com
Event Coordinators:
Kalia Kliban, Carlo Bottini plus open to volunteers to help!
Newsletter writer/editor:
Michael Kurland his website (what
interesting members we have!)
mkurland at continentalops.org 766-7102
Hospitality Coordinator:
Savita Wilder & open to volunteers to help!
707-527-8653
Gold Ridge Farm Support and Cider Press manager and SSU Demonstration Orchard
contact
Phillip Pieri
phil_p_2001 at yahoo.com
707-795-6574
Publicity & Web Site
Keith Borglum
707-576-7250
Keith at Borglum.com
Membership
CRFG dues are $30.00 per year, plus local Redwood chapter membership of $5,
gets a fabulous color magazine, all benefits, an email forum, and free entry
into the Scion Exchange. We do not give out or sell email addresses! .
TO JOIN: go to http://www.borglum.com/crfgr/crfgr_membership.pdf
Then email Randy to get on the local
list, otherwise we won't know locally that you are a member until we get a new
member list once or twice a year from CRFG!