{"id":25721,"date":"2023-11-06T22:15:02","date_gmt":"2023-11-07T03:15:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/?p=25721"},"modified":"2023-11-06T22:20:22","modified_gmt":"2023-11-07T03:20:22","slug":"episode-906-the-forgotten-orchard-november-sky-nov-5-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/?p=25721","title":{"rendered":"EPISODE 906 THE FORGOTTEN ORCHARD \u2014 NOVEMBER SKY (NOV. 5, 2023)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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EPISODE 906    THE FORGOTTEN ORCHARD \u2014 NOVEMBER SKY  (NOV. 5, 2023)<\/div>\n

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alam skeoch<\/div>\n
nov. 5, 2023<\/div>\n

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FORGOTTEN ORCHARD<\/div>\n

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The forgotten orchard sits atop a glacial drumlin in Erin Township  Ancient t=appple trees<\/div>\n
perhaps planted by Jean and Janet McLesn early in the 20th century.   Located <\/div>\n
this November day where the horizon meets the sky.   A forgotten orchard that still<\/div>\n
bears fruit  Indiferent fruit for no one cares.  <\/div>\n

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Few people take the time to climb the steep face of the drumlin.  <\/div>\n
what\u2019s the point\u201d The apple are small and few remain on the twisted<\/div>\n
branches  Summer apples with names long forgotten like Madens Blush\u2026an <\/div>\n
apple best collected in August when the blush is firm.<\/div>\n

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FERAL APPLE TREES <\/div>\n

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Prof. Brian Husband
bhusband@uoguelph.ca<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n

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Apple trees \u2013 and the fruit and seeds that grow on them \u2013 are produced only through mating of two genetically different varieties. That means feral apples are combinations of past varieties. Two distinct feral trees can also mate with each other, as can a feral tree with a commercial variety.<\/p>\n

Feral apples were long suspected to be hybrids between commercially grown species and a native crabapple tree, but this study found that not to be the case.<\/p>\n

\"Amarvel-b1-cdn.bc0a.com\/f00000000209359\/news.uoguelph.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/thumbnail_rareApple012DSC_3973crped-100×150.jpg<\/a> 100w, marvel-b1-cdn.bc0a.com\/f00000000209359\/news.uoguelph.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/thumbnail_rareApple012DSC_3973crped-40×60.jpg<\/a> 40w, marvel-b1-cdn.bc0a.com\/f00000000209359\/news.uoguelph.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/thumbnail_rareApple012DSC_3973crped.jpg<\/a> 426w” sizes=”(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px” be_marvel=”1″ style=”box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;”>
Makers of hard cider are increasingly interested in wild apples.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After comparing the genes of 578 naturalized feral trees to those of 156 non-feral varieties, as well as some ornamental species, the researchers discovered feral varieties originate strictly from commercially grown species. The study revealed parents of many feral apple trees comprise nine heritage cultivars \u2014 all varieties grown before 1900 \u2014 that accounted for 72 per cent of the identified parental lineages in the analysis.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe origin of feral trees wasn\u2019t so much the commercial apples fertilizing native crabapple, but rather these escaped apples that were now out there and growing wild,\u201d said Husband. \u201cThe legacy of these old cultivars, some of which are no longer in production, reside in the mixed genomes of these wild apples.\u201d<\/p>\n

This finding provides insight into why feral apples have the strong taste that hard cider producers are after.<\/p>\n

Over the last century or more, the Canadian apple industry has focused on the fresh market and eating apples, which are not ideal for cider, said Husband.<\/p>\n

\u201cFew suitable cider varieties are currently available in Ontario, so cider producers have begun looking at feral apples because they have the right taste.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cronin said the characteristics of feral populations may resemble varieties of apples that were grown hundreds of years ago by Ontario cider makers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe interesting flavours and aromas found in feral apple fruit might appeal to the Ontario apple industry in creating unique cider beverages,\u201d he said. \u201cThere is a vast trove of untapped genetic potential in the natural landscape of southern Ontario that could be used to enhance or diversify the commercial cider industry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some cider producers have begun mapping and evaluating unique apple strains found growing in abandoned orchards, hedgerows and historical properties, looking for those that are suitable for making hard cider, Husband added.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is definitely a growing interest in feral apples. Cider producers are looking for interesting flavours, and feral apples with heritage traits may be just what they are looking for.\u201d<\/p>\n


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\u2026\u2026+——————————————<\/div>\n

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EPISODE 906    THE FORGOTTEN ORCHARD \u2014 NOVEMBER SKY  (NOV. 5, 2023) alam skeoch nov. 5, 2023 FORGOTTEN ORCHARD The forgotten orchard sits atop a glacial drumlin in Erin Township  Ancient t=appple trees perhaps planted by Jean and Janet McLesn early in the 20th century.   Located  this November day where the horizon meets the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25721","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25721","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=25721"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25721\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=25721"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=25721"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=25721"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}