For commercial farmers and state bodies this kind of project currently lacks economic feasibility. But for community gardens, and people who have private gardens, there are other considerations. People who plant a tree in their private garden, or in a pot on their balcony, don’t need an industrial species. They would likely prefer a smaller fruit with a higher sugar content — a tastier fruit — that doesn’t keep that long in the fridge. Farmers have to make a living, but private individuals can plant these fruits and spread the genetic knowledge. Instead of bringing a check to a wedding, why not give the young couple a local fruit tree?
Nice idea, and a reminder that us ordinary people do have agency, and can make a difference — we don’t need to leave all the work to genebanks. The quote comes from Assaf Bashan, a young agronomist working to preserve local fig trees in the Sataf nature reserve near Jerusalem. It closes a recent piece in Haaretz by Ronit Vered, who I have it on good authority is the premier food writer in Israel. She also had another piece about figs late last year, focusing on the efforts by Adi Segal and Amit Pompan from Kibbutz Tzivon in the Galilee to revive traditional food processing methods.
They acquired their knowledge from their neighbors in Jish and by visiting other Arab towns in Galilee and on the West Bank. “We rarely encountered anyone who was angry or surprised at a couple of Jews who wanted to know the secrets of the traditional local customs. There’s politics in the background, but the focus is on love of the land and the fruits in the basket,” says Amit. “People talk to each other about their land, although I’ve had opportunity to conduct profound discussions about the situation and about the gloomy consequences for their private lives. And still these people generously give us the knowledge handed down to them by previous generations.”
Dare one have hope?
Anyway, too bad both articles are behind a paywall. Let me know if you’d like to know more. And Haaretz, I’m told you should translate זן (zan) as “variety” and מִין (meen) as “species.”