I guess it’s the season. More apples today, again from both sides of the Atlantic. From Britain, an invitation to Apple Days at East Malling, a celebration which will feature the (troubled?) National Fruit Collection. ((Thanks to Danny for the tip.)) And from the Minneapolis-St Paul Star Tribune, more news of American apple breeding, featuring David Bedford of the University of Minnesota.
A tale of two apple collections
I’ve already nibbled today’s piece in the Guardian about the UK’s National Fruit Collection at Brogdale, a “typical British story of managerial confusion and government ineptitude,” ((Be sure to read the comments, one of which links to other sources of information on the situation at Brogdale.)) but I couldn’t resist pointing out the contrast with the US apple collection at Geneva in New York, about which I also blogged recently. It does seem like they order these things better across the pond.
Coincidentally, there was also an article today about the diversity of American apples. Here it is in numbers: 2,500 named varieties grown in the country, 100 commercially, 15 accounting for 90% of the harvest.
The dizzying array today might have shocked early Americans. Just a half-dozen wild crab apple varieties awaited British colonists arriving in America in the 17th century. Thousands of hillside orchards soon were planted with the progeny of favored European varieties… like Maiden Blush, Western Beauty, Chenango Strawberry, Roxbury Russet and Westfield Seek No Further.
…“There were some real jewels among them with great flavors, rich with juices and unusual aromas,” said Tom Burford, an author, lecturer, orchard and nursery consultant from Lynchburg, Va. Burford has been dubbed “Professor Apple” for his extensive work rediscovering antique varieties previously believed extinct.
Is there a British “Professor Apple” out there who will save Brogdale? Or maybe the situation is not as bad as the Guardian piece made out? If you know, drop us a line.
Apple genebank in trouble
Will the UK’s National Fruit Collection survive?
Traditional rice cultivation at risk
Saving the Ifugao rice terraces, and their agrobiodiversity.
International Kitchen Garden Day
Did you know there’s an International Kitchen Garden Day on the fourth Sunday of August each year? Neither did I, but it’s a good way of celebrating agrobiodiversity, isn’t it? Anyway, I got to hear about it via a wiki on Sustainable Community Action that Danny has just blogged about over at Rurality.