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Cider Digest #1131
Subject: Cider Digest #1131, 27 April 2004
From: cider-request@talisman.com
Cider Digest #1131 27 April 2004
Forum for Discussion of Cider Issues
Dick Dunn, Digest Janitor
Contents:
Importing Scion ("McGonegal, Charles")
Re: perry pear tree availability (James Cummins)
Dick's BJCP Comments (Ken Schramm)
Maine Cider Maker ("Mark Curry")
RE: Orchard grazing ("chris horn")
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Subject: Importing Scion
From: "McGonegal, Charles" <Charles.McGonegal@uop.com>
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 2004 11:34:49 -0500
Evan Asks:
Just wondering what hoops need to be gone through to import scion wood from
Europe or even Canada. To late for this year I know, just finished grafting
some SRC's (scab resistant cultivars) and now I'm lusting after some hard to
get old timey numbers. Evan in Mass.
Evan, if you're looking for rare cultivars, I'd look really hard at Nick
Botner's collection (Spearheart Farms) and the National Germplasm
Repositories. Those are the biggest collections I'm aware of. Between the
two of them, I'd bet 99%+ of what's available (and known) in the US is
covered. (If it's an orphan tree, lanquishing on abandoned land, it's kinda
hard to locate :-)
I have 6 French poire cultivars, and 4 cidre cultivars coming through
quarantine - so it can be done.
The process is roughly this:
1) Find a partner / co-researcher in the country of origin who is willing to
collect and ship specimens.
2) Arrange for slots in the Maryland quarantine lab. The service is free -
but availablity is _very_ limited.
3) Coordinate communication between the lab and the donor. You will need to
verify that there are no intellectual property strings attached, no genetic
manipulations, etc. The lab sends shipping labels to the donor - you never
see the material.
4) Fork over bucks for Fedex from there to here.
5) Arrange with your home state's dept. of agriculture to receive quarantine
material - just in case.
6) Obtain permit from APHIS/USDA to receive such material - just in case.
7) Wait for initial screens. If you are lucky, and no listed pathogens are
found, and you have the appropriate USDA permits, then you may get a teensy
twig to propagate in your permitted area, under regulated terms, the year
after the scion was shipped. Note: I said 'listed' pathogens. A number of
viruses will nix your samples - even though they are endemic in the US
already.
8) Wait for the samples to clear quarantine at the lab - 5-6 years. If
pathogens are found at any step in the procedure, the lab will attempt to
regenerate clean samples - which restarts the process back at the beginning
of the 5-6 years.
Charles
AEppelTreow Winery
------------------------------
Subject: Re: perry pear tree availability
From: James Cummins <jnc1@localnet.com>
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 2004 18:29:59 -0700
re: tail end of your note -- Onset of production in any fruit tree is
affected mostly by 3 factors:
(1) Rootstock: the OHxF stocks definitely bring dessert pears into
production more quickly than we see with Bartlett and Winter Nelis
seedling; presumably this would happen with perry pears as well. Only
problem: the better OHxF clones are quite difficult to propagate and
are almost totally devoted to dessert varieties.
(2) Non-Pruning: It's tempting, almost compelling, to take the pruning
shears to a vigorously growing pear tree--but this is perhaps the surest
way to guarantee tardy onset of production. Considerable willpower may
be required to keep the secateurs locked in the holster.
(3) Bending: Developing wide initial crotch angles and bringing
branches down nearly to horizontal can be very effective in inducing
blossom bud formation. This has held with every tree fruit with which I
have worked, but especially do with Bosc and Bartlett pears. I assume
(without data) that this would be equally effectiv with perry pears.
Branch bending must be accomplished by petalfall, though, to be very effective.
//Jim
www.cumminsnursery.com
------------------------------
Subject: Dick's BJCP Comments
From: Ken Schramm <schramk@mail.resa.net>
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 2004 22:33:33 -0400
I heartily agree with Dick's stance on reviewing the BJCP guidelines. I
am primarily a mead maker, but the same logic applies. While the Beer
Judge Certification Program grew out of the beer world, they have done
much to educate judges: both their the palates and their ability to
complete a meaningful, constructive set of comments on a scoresheet.
For the time being, Gordon is doing more to help structure and develop
the judging contingent than anyone else I can think of. He is very open
to suggestions and commentary, especially from a crew as knowledgeable
and experienced as the readership here.
Please spend a moment if you have the time. Gordon's got a heart of
gold, and he's dying to get input from the kind of people who reside
here. He's doing the planting, fertilizing, pruning and spraying. We
just need some of the sages here to show him how to shape the trees for
healthy bearing and maximum quality fruit.
Thanks,
Ken Schramm
Troy, MI
Gravensteins just starting to show a little pink, but Yarlington Mill,
Kingston Black and Northern Spy still pretty tight.
PS: Anybody here had any luck with some of the newer anti-fungals? I'm
looking for an effective treatment to alternate years with sterol
inhibitors, but one that won't break the bank.
------------------------------
Subject: Maine Cider Maker
From: "Mark Curry" <sofree@suscom-maine.net>
Date: Sun, 25 Apr 2004 09:22:50 -0400
I've been reading this excellent site for some time and I'm impressed by
the depth of articles from the "technical" to good advice for regular
guys (like me!). I've been making cider since 1973, almost every year,
including one year two 55 gal. barrels the "olde New England" way in a
cold stone cellar. I bottle it and enjoy (along with family and
friends, of course) through the drinking season. People tell me its
better than store-bought (I haven't tasted much of anything from the
store that is good..syrupy and cloying, mostly). Here is my
question..there must be lots of cider makers out there, but I've never
had a conversation or tasted a bottle of someone else's cider, and I
wouldn't even know how to contact them. Are there forums or festivals
noted for cider demonstrations or tastings where one could get to know
other cider-heads? I live on Freeport, Maine and would make a day trip
to a festival or conference to meet others, taste their products, and
learn how to make mine better. Could you publish regional happenings or
forums in this newsletter? Thanks for listening!
------------------------------
Subject: RE: Orchard grazing
From: "chris horn" <agent_strangelove@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 2004 08:38:04 -0700
If you can find a copy of 'The New Book of Apples' (English book avail. from
Amazon UK and a great book to own. Some cider apple stuff but mostly
dessert apples) part of you answer may be in there..... There is an old
drawing of a the arrangement that the Normans put on there cows when they
were in the orchard. It was a set up that kept the cows from raising thier
heads more than about 18" from the ground. A line was atttached between the
two from legs and from that line a chain ran forward to sort of open muzzle.
Thus the cows couldn't graze the low hanging limbs or fruit.... This day
in age, I bet that you neighbors might call the ASPCA if they saw all your
live stock in those... But real world, the cows could graze and if they had
a short water tub, they would be fine...
Chris Horn
Scappoose Oregon
'I watch the stars as they fall from the sky
I held a fallen star and it wept for me, dying
I feel the fallen stars encircle me now, as they cry'
------------------------------
End of Cider Digest #1131
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