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Thanks to Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply (originally started by our founder Amigo Bob Cantisano), a collection of some of our favorite species and varieties  are available for pre-sale through their website for the 2024/25 Bare Root Season 

Felix Gillet Collector Trees

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Below: the SOLD OUT Varieties listed are for informational purposes only. These are the trees and plants that we have re-discovered and sold over the years. They are the result of our passionate searches throughout Northern California, the Sierra Nevada and Western States to re-discover the historic, agricultural, living library still in existence. These trees and plants, left over from the 1800’s and early 1900’s Gold Rush era, were discovered on historic mining camps, ranches, and  homesteads. Most of these trees have become climate resilient with no human attention for the last 100 plus years. They give the best fruit and nuts in conditions that most fruit and nut trees cannot endure with large annual temperature variations.

These  grandmother trees have learned to thrive under the most harsh conditions, and with uncertain weather patterns.  It is our goal to make them available to growers, gardeners and communities throughout the West Coast.

We have personally taken cuttings directly from the 100+ year old grandmother trees that still cling to life in some, often deserted, historic orchards. The Felix Gillet Institute trees are very rare, exclusive plants – some may have only just been rediscovered.

95% of plants available during the 1800s are no longer available today.  We are saving what is left before they die. 

 You can become a Mother Orchard Supporter and help us in our efforts to discover more rare, historical trees and care for our collection of over 250 trees, by clicking on the Mother Orchard link above.

Ten of these varieties are available through Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply this year 2024/25. 

Thank you for all your Support!

Apples

Our Apple trees are one year whips which measure at least 3/8 caliper across at graft union and are pruned to 4' tall. Many production orchards prune the apple tree 2'-3' tall which promotes branching from the nodes below the cut. The selected branches then become the frame for the tree. There are many styles of pruning but some of the most popular are 'modified leader' and 'open vase.'

Our heirloom apples are mostly grafted to M111 rootstock but now offer Standard Seedlings. M111 is an excellent all-around rootstock for apples. Trees will be dwarfed to approximately 85 % of a standard full-size tree, approximately 12-16’ at maturity. M111 induces early and heavy bearing, tolerates wet soil, dry soil, and poor soil. M111 resists woolly apple aphids and collar rot.

Standard Seedling rootstock are permaculture trees that can get 35'-40' tall and live over 100 years. They are coming back in style but you need the space. They tend to take longer to fruit, perhaps 7-10 years. These are long term plants. Some people will plant these at 35' spacing and then plant dwarf trees in between so they get fruit quickly from dwarfs but when the standard get large and start produce you can cut the dwarves out.


Click on the images to see variety descriptions.


Hard and Fresh Cider Apples

Arkansas Black Reinette Vert
Autumn Rambour Rhode Island Greening
Blue Pearmaine Smith Cider
Bramley’s Seedling Stayman Winesap
Baldwin Swaar
Golden Reinette Twenty Ounce
Golden Winter Pearmain Vandevere
Gros Api Verite
Lane’s Prince Albert Winesap
Michelson’s Seedling Winter Banana
Nickajack Winter Pearmain
Reine de Reinette Winter Rambour
Reinette a Longue Queue Yellow Bellflower
Reinette Pippin

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