Accomplishments of Felix Gillet Institute 2008-2022
Organizational Developments and Projects
Collected propagation materials from hundreds of heirloom mother plants on more than 75 sites in four Sierra Nevada counties
Contributed agricultural information to the Wikipedia page on Felix Gillet
Created database of observations of varietal resistance and susceptibility to fire blight, powdery mildew, codling moth, blister mites, productivity, scab, flavor and drought in heirloom varietals of the Sierra
Created FGI T shirts printed on organic cotton fabric
Created library of books and documents for heirloom varietal identification
Created numerous educational and promotional outreach efforts via social media
Designed FGI full color logo with local artist
Developed and operate www.felixgillet.org website
Developed and operate Felix Gillet Facebook page
Developed and operated a fruit and nut tree nursery all naturally without chemical fertilizers or pesticides. We have propagated and sold 1000’s of plants over the last 6 years including apple, pear, cherry, fig, grape, plum, prune, almond, walnut, chestnut, lilac, peach, mulberry,
Developed database of more than 3000 FGI supporters and customers
Developed educational Powerpoint on Felix Gillet and the Felix Gillet Institute
Developed literature for education and promotion of Gillet and the FGI
Developed online catalog of over 100 fruit, nut and grape varieties with illustrations, varietal descriptions, historic, cultural and other important info
Developed many value added products from chestnuts, walnuts, cherry, pear and apple
Digitizing and cataloging Felix Gillet, Barren Hill Nursery and Gillet Nursery historical documents
Discovered, evaluated and identified more than 300 varieties of heirloom fruit, nut and grape varieties
Educated public on the pioneering contributions of Felix Gillet to West coast agriculture
Educated property owners on the importance and maintenance of these heirloom plants
Established criteria and record keeping format to educate and deputize other arboreal archaeologists
Established historic research program; conducted research at numerous public and private libraries.
Established Mother Orchards in Sonoma and Nevada counties, comprising more than 100 heirloom varieties now growing in botanical preserves
Established nursery production and history educational program for students and adults
Established scientific evaluation criteria for characterizing varieties
Evaluated, cataloged, photographed and GPS recorded hundreds of individual specimens of apple, cherry, pear, quince, sorbus, fig, medlar, peach, rose, lilac, plum, prune, hawthorn, olive, grape, almond, butternut, walnut, chestnut, pecan, filbert, hickory
Held public fruit and nut tastings and evaluations
Influenced Nevada City, CA City Council to pass ordinance prohibiting the removal of heirloom plants in Nevada City without a historical review and permit
Leased and operate 6 acre naturally grown, heirloom apple, pear and walnut orchard
Leased and operated 2 acre heirloom chestnut orchard.
Located, identified and created database of 700 sites of heirloom trees and vines, more than 3000 individual plants located in Nevada, Placer, Yuba and Sierra counties
Marketed apples, pears, chestnuts and cherries from heirloom trees with accompanying educational materials to advise consumers of the value of local heirlooms
Obtained California Non Profit status; Federal Non Profit status pending
Propagated plants for gardeners and homesteaders; custom propagated for farmers
Protected 9 rare heirloom fruit and nut varieties submitted to Slow Food Ark of Test (Accepted by USA and World Slow Food Ark of Taste regents)
Provide pest and disease management for numerous trees
Provide consulting services to many heirloom tree owners
Provide technical and organizational assistance to heirloom preservation groups in Mendocino, Humboldt, Contra Costa, Marin, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Calaveras, and Sonoma counties
Research and development of chestnut processing equipment
Researched and wrote technical bulletins on planting and care of heirloom trees
Volunteered thousands of hours to the FGI
Services to Public and Private Sector
Conducted hundreds of hours of historical research
Contracted with State of California Parks Department for the identification, evaluation and GPS mapping of historic fruit and nut trees in China Gardens of Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park. Created state of the art document of same
Provided heirloom identification services for Fort Ross State Historic Park
Identification and propagation services for private individuals
Market heirloom fruits and nuts to stores, restaurants and direct
Provide pest management, tree restoration and pruning for historic plants on many sites
Research and development of value added products: chestnuts, pears, apples, figs, grapes
Educational Outreach to Community
Education about Gillet and the FGI on KFOK, KFBK, KVMR, KZYX, KSCO, KMUD, KKHI, KGO, KPFA, KNCO
Fruit and nut tastings
Grafting and plant propagation classes
Historic fruit and nut tree tours for public and schools
In field demonstrations of heirloom tree preservation and maintenance
Live Oak Waldorf School
Mentorship for farmers, students and public
Nevada Union High School Agriculture class
Nursery production and propagation training
Presentations at Nevada County Historical Society
Sierra Nevada College Sustainable Ag class (2x)
Workshops on importance of historical trees preservation
Cooperating Relationships with Government, School and Non Profit Organizations Working with Historic Plants
California Rare Fruit Growers
California State Parks
Luther Burbank Society
Nevada County Historical Society
NGO’s doing historic plant preservation in Italy and France
North American Fruit Explorers
Northern Nut Growers Association
Oregon State University
Pine Grove Cemetery (Nevada City CA)
Sacramento Rose Society
University of California Davis
US Clean Plant Network
US National Parks
USDA Germplasm Repository in Davis, CA and Corvallis, OR
Professional Organization Cooperating Relationships
Alex Suchan Nursery
Archeologia Arborea
Dave Wilson Nursery
Monrovia Nursery
Patrimoines La Riverie
Prospector Nursery
Sweetland Garden Supply
Trees of Antiquity
Exhibitions
Ecological Farming Conference (2x)
Empire Mine State Historic Park Miners Festival
Forest City Apple Fest (2x)
Mendocino Scion Swap (2x)
National Heirloom Exposition
Nevada County Seed Swap
Terra Madre/Salone del Gusto
Featured Presentations
California Garden Club Association
California Rare Fruit Growers
California State Grange Annual Conference
Ecological Farming Conference
Fort Ross State Historic Park Foundation
Garden clubs, numerous
Garden Goddesses
Home Orchard Society
Luther Burbank Society
Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park Humbug Days (5x)
Mendocino Scion Swap
National Heirloom Exposition
Nevada County Ag Tour
Nevada County Beekeepers Association
Nevada County Historical Society
Nevada County Seed Swap
Nevada Union High School
North Columbia Schoolhouse
Northern Nut Growers Association
Sacramento Horticulture Society
Sacramento Slow Food
Sierra Nevada College Sustainable Ag class
Terra Madre/ Salone del Gusto
University of California, Davis
The 4th International Vavilov Conference, 20-24 November 2017, St. Petersburg Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia. http://vavilov2017.org/
Feature Articles about the FGI
Acres USA
Bioneers
California Rare Fruit Growers
Civil Eats
Edible East Bay
Farmer to Farmer
Farm Fork Life
Food Forest Garden
Huffington Post
Lucky Peach
North Star House Conservancy
Sacramento Bee
Sunset
The Fruit Manifesto
The Union (4x)
United States of Cider
Fundraising
Barnraiser (Crowdfunding)
Bill Graham Foundation
BriarPatch Community Co-op
Gaia Foundation
Latrobe Fund
Personal donations, numerous
UNFI Foundation
Organization Memberships
California Rare Fruit Growers
Heritage Rose Foundation
Home Orchard Society
Nevada County Historical Society
North American Fruit Explorers
Northern Nut Growers Association