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Location:
Wren, Oregon
Providing
the Co-op since 1999 with: apples and pears
Farming
practices: growing less than $5000 organically
Other
crops grown (varieties not included): grapes, kiwis, plums,
blueberries and quince
Acreage
farmed: Five
Crew
size: Two
Farming
since: 1989
Products
used to control weeds, pests and pathogens: lime sulphur,
Bt, hand cultivation
"Our
property belonged to the past president of the Home Orchard
Society. He was also a Master Gardner. At one time he had
the greatest collection of privately owned grape varieties
in Oregon on this property. He is delighted that we are keeping
most everything he planted, but we have eliminated some of
the unusual varieties that didn't appeal to our tastes. Of
course, since we are the consumer for much of the produce,
it is nice that both of us have slightly differing tastes-sweet
and sour. We love both gardening and eating. I'm not sure
which is more important to us. Probably a tie!"
Did
You Know?
Cox's
Orange Pippin Apple, which Cloud Run Farm sells to the Co-op,
possibly originated in 1825 near Slough, Bucks, England from
a seedling of Ribston Pippin. It was grown by Richard Cox,
a retired brewer. It is one of the most famous of all apples.
In England, it is still regarded as the apple that is richest
in flavor. Superlatives are always used to describe the flavor
- spicy, honeyed, nutty, pear-like. Some say it's the best
fresh eating apple known. It also makes a superb apple compote.
It keeps until January and the flavor actually improves in
storage.
The
Bartlett Pear, which the Co-op also buys from Cloud Run Farm,
is the same variety that is called the "Williams"
in many other parts of the world. Discovered originally in
1765 by a schoolmaster in England named Mr. Stair, the Bartlett
was first referred to as Stair's Pear. A nurseryman named
Williams later acquired the variety, and after introducing
it to the rest of England, the pear became known as the Williams
Pear. About 1799, Mr. James Carter imported several Williams
trees to the United States, and they were planted on the grounds
of Thomas Brewer in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Later, Enoch Bartlett
of Dorchester, Massachusetts acquired the Brewer estate. Not
knowing the identity of the trees, Bartlett propagated and
introduced the variety to the United States under his own
name. It was not until 1828, when new trees arrived from Europe,
that it was realized that Bartlett and Williams pears were
one and the same. By then it was too late... the variety had
become widely popular in the U.S. under it's adopted name...
the Bartlett.
http://www.acronet.net/~bekof/fruit/apple/coxpipin.htmlhttp://www.usapears.com/varieties_yellow_bartlett.php
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Cloud
Run Farm