Workshops – Books – Tours – Trees – Plants

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!

Almonds

Almonds have a long, winding, world history going back many thousands of years. They are part of the rose family, along with many of the fruit we know and are thought to have originated in the wilds of China. Almonds were found in the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun's tomb, surviving from his burial in 1332 BC. Almonds were snacked on and traded along The Silk Road which carried them to Europe. Almonds were recorded in the Bible when Moses witnessed the Rod of Aaron bloom and bare almonds. They eventually made their way into the New World through the Spanish Franciscan monks, who planted them while traveling in California. Gillet introduced the almonds we have here and many others during the late 1800s. The world's most popular almond, the Nonpareil, is propagated from a seedling grown in Vacaville, California by A. T Hatch in 1879. Eighty percent of the world's almonds now come from California, and in 2015 California shipped 1.81 Billion pounds of almonds worldwide.

Almonds are the earliest of fruit and nut trees to bloom, February and March. To ensure their success, plant in an area with good air circulation and water drainage. Plant two different varieties to ensure adequate cross pollenization. Our heirloom almonds are grafted to Myrobalan 29C rootstock, which induces good resistance to poor soil, poor drainage and diseases.

Click on the images for variety descriptions.

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