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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 will be available for pre-sale through their website beginning the 2024/25 Bareroot Season 

November 11, 2024 

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The SOLD OUT Varieties listed below are for informational purposes only, ones we have sold over the years, and 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 and 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, we want to make them available to growers, gardeners and communities throughout the West Coast.

We have personally found these trees and have taken cuttings directly from the 100+ year old grandmother trees that still cling to life in ghostly, 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.

Ten of these varieties will be available through Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply this year in our 2024/25 Collection. 

Thank you for all your Support!

Beurre Clairgeau

Beurre Clairgeau

Store/Pears
SKU 00147
$0.00
Sold out
Product Details

Originated in Nantes, France by Pierre Clairgeau in 1848 and introduced by Gillet to the Gold Country in 1876. In Gillet’s 1880 description, he said, “Fruit large, from 12 -18 ounces, pyriform, beautifully shaped, splendid flavor, buttery; tree very vigorous and one of the most productive of the Pear family; regular bearer. November to December ripening. The size, very early bearing, productiveness and beauty of the fruit, together with its ripening in early winter or late in the fall, render this variety one of our most valuable.” This variety was chosen by the Slow Food Ark of Taste in 2014 to be honored and saved for posterity. Makes a good canning pear, with excellent fresh and dried uses. Storage Pear. When the pear breaks off easily from the tree when it is lifted up. Store in a box in a cool area suffocated in cloth or paper. This allows for all the natural gas such as ethylene to ripen the pear, which reduces the astringency in the skin.


The grandmother tree is located at the original Gillet property, Barren Hill Nursery, on Aristocracy Hill in Nevada City at 2500'. This must have been a Felix favorite, as it is planted directly off his front porch - still growing strong, and often bearing large crops, without any nearby pollenizer pear. We consider it the prime variety still growing on his property.

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Beurre Clairgeau
Store/Pears
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