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!

Kate Wolf Lilac

Kate Wolf Lilac

Store/Lilac
SKU 00111
$0.00
Sold out
Product Details

This beautiful heirloom is growing on a very old abandoned homestead along the banks of the North Fork of the Yuba River at 2600’ near Goodyears Bar in Sierra County. The great singer-songwriter Kate Wolf was a long time friend of Amigo Bob's. She wrote and recorded the song “The Lilac and the Apple Tree" in the late ‘70s. Kate told Amigo that the inspiration for the song was an old homestead she had found near Goodyears Bar, where she spent her summers in her teens and 20s. He never asked exactly where it was located, and when she passed away, too early in life, he regretted not having learned the location of these plants that inspired her. About 15 years later, Amigo was talking with their mutual friend Utah Phillips and mentioned that he still was curious where these plants were located. Turns out Utah knew the man who might know the location. After many attempts (that's a story in itself!) Amigo Bob finally learned the location from this secretive old man, who finally confessed that it was the homestead that his grandparents settled in the 1850s. After hiking a couple miles to this abandoned site in the forest Amigo found the lilac and the apple (and a rose, that we are growing)! We have been hiking to the site, and growing the lilac ever since. 100% of the proceeds from the sales of the lilacs provide financial support to Camp Winnarainbow, a performing circus camp for children and adults founded by our mutual friend Wavy Gravy. Camp Winnarainbow was one of Kate’s favorite projects. See: www.campwinnarainbow.org.

We will offer the Kate Wolf apple and rose from that beautiful homestead and song soon.

You can hear Kate sing “The Lilac and the Apple” here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q83NqwtdBZk

Please Note: We do not ship potted plants individually. It is too expensive, but we will ship them when ordered with other barefoot trees. By themselves, they are only available for pick up in N. San Juan.

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Kate Wolf Lilac
Store/Lilac
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