The biggest organic orchards (hundreds upon hundreds upon hundreds of apple and pear trees each year) being planted in western Oregon just now are being planted by the cider-perry grassroots, many of them first-time farmers. Corvallis has an Under-50 Cider – one of two Oregon ciders, I believe, advertised as sourced from within 50 miles. Cider? The BushWhacker Cider bar is one of the more outrageously hopping bars in SE Portland on a Friday night.
My biggest observation relating to the Future of Fruit in the years I have supported the Portland Spring Propagation Fairs? It came this past weekend as I witnessed that the attendance of young people at the event has simply exploded. This has much to do with fresh blood in the supply line. The quality of young soul I am meeting around vegetable and fruit propagation tables just now is exceptional.
At the greyer handlebar moustache end of the scale, come meet Shaun Shepherd of the Home Orchard Society at this weekend’s Lane Prop Fair. Shaun, a ciderist, is the Portland-based Authority on Cider. A little shy (we can’t get him to speak in public) a good time to speak with him is when he is grafting your tree at the grafting table.
Cheers!