Workshops – Books – Tours – Trees – Plants

Towards A Climate Resilient Food Economy:

We have passionately searched the Sierra Nevada and Western States to re-discover the living library of plants still scattered across Northern California, those trees and plants left over from the 1800’s and early 1900’s Gold Rush era.   These are the grandmother trees that have become climate resilient with no human attention for the last 100 years. They give the best fruit and nuts in conditions that most fruit and nut trees can not endure with large annual temperature variations. These  grandmother trees have learned to thrive under the most harsh conditions. 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. We offer very rare and 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. 

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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 through Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden for the 2024/25 Bareroot Season. 

Stay Tuned…

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The SOLD OUT Varieties listed below are for informational purposes only. These are many of the plants we have found and sold over the years. While some of these varieties will be available this Autumn, many will not. 

Hope is on the Horizon.

We will have historic fruit and nut trees available for preorder

November 1, 2024.

Thank you for all your Support!

Orders only accepted via the website.

Poe Walnut

SKU 03169
$0.00
Sold out
Product Details

VERY RARE - This is a selection of the Praeparturiens (Fertile) walnut introduced by Felix in 1871. Mr. Poe of Scotts Valley in Lake County made this variety regionally famous. It was considered the premier in-the-shell walnut of its day according to walnut guru Alex Suchan. Here’s what Felix had to say about it:

“The points of superiority (to other walnut varieties) are many: First—It bears earlier than any other kind, bearing sometimes when three years old; hence its name Praeparturiens—fertile or precocious. Second—It blossoms late, three weeks later than other varieties thus less liable to be killed by late frosts, and rendering its crop secure every year. Third—Its pistillate blossoms are fully out at the time its staminate blossoms or “catkins” are in full bloom, which is another guarantee for a regular crop every year."

The Pacific Rural Press (the ag mag of the day) had this to say in 1879: “The shell is thin, and the kernel full-fleshed and exceedingly well-flavored. The skin which surrounds the kernel is also notably thin; and, as this skin contains the bitter principle, its thinness is very desirable. It is owing to the thinness of inner skin that the kernel owes its almost unalloyed sweetness. The nut is certainly one of great promise.”

We owe the finding of this variety to our friend Alex Suchan of Suchan Nursery in Upper Lake, Lake County, CA. Alex, 86, is the dean of walnut growers and propagators in California. He is a wealth of knowledge, propagating walnuts since he was 14. His nursery now produces more than 200,000 modern walnut trees each year, yet Alex has an appreciation for the heirlooms and still grows a dry farmed orchard of the Poe.

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Poe Walnut

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