Discuss: The Fatherland of Apples

For those of you looking for more information and possibly seeds, the Plant Genetic Resources Unit in Geneva, NY might be a good place to start: http://www.ars.usda.gov/main/site_main.htm?modecode=19-10-05-00

Michael Pollan visits the Plant Genetic Resources Unit in his book, “The Botany of Desire” which is a fantastic read!  I highly recommend it.

For those wishing to learn more about cultivars other than the handful offered by nursery catalogs, you’d do well to join North American Fruit Explorers (NAFEX).  The organization is full of knowledgeable folks, many of whom have been working on preserving fruits and nuts for decades.  They are very helpful.  They have many members overseas as well.  Their website is http://www.nafex.org

What a beautiful article. Imagine forests of wild apples and pears! I too would like to know if there is a way to support the work of Aimak Dzangaliev and Tatiana Salova.

For anyone interested, there is a lovely family-run fruit nursery in Orleans, CA called Sandy Bar Nursery. They ship in the US and have very healthy stock, including Newtown and Hauer Pippins.

http://www.sandybarnursery.com

Apple diversity is alive and well in Oregon. Our organization, Home Orchard Society, encourages growing old time apples and other fruits. One member has over 3,500 varieties. He sells scion for grafting. contact Nick Botner, Spearheart Farm, 4015 Eagle Valley Road, Yoncalla, OR 97499. phone 541.849.2781.
HOS is having an All About Fruit Show, Oct 11-12 with over 800 varieties of fruit on display and tasting (about 300+ apples, 500+ pears). we think it is the largest in US.
Visit HOS website http://www.homeorchardsociety.com for fruit growing information.

I hope that it is not hyperbole to say that the preservation of such forests as these is essential to the perpetuation of the human species.  Is it possible to lobby the UN to label this area as a UNESCO World Heritage Site?  After all, though it may be before recorded history, these forests are as much a part of our heritage as the Taj Mahal or Machu Picchu.

I love Elliotts (comment #13) idea of adding the Kazakhstan Apple Forests to the UN’s World Heritage Sites. I would also be interested to learn of anything else those here in the US can do to help preserve the forest and the apple varieties located there. Fund raisers perhaps? Or lobbying for governmental support of land grants or research money? Please do let us know what we can do in a ground-roots type way to help out!

Just found this article.  Wow.  I teach a course on the Silk Road, and I’ve come to the conclusion that everything can be connected back to it—even that standard American dessert, apple pie!

one of the better ways of preserving the biodiversity is to spread the seeds as far as possible around the world. package them and sell them to people who would be keen to grow these wild apples, apricots and pears on their land. i have a wee bit of land and i have started planting wild seedlings in hedgerows on it that i have found locally.