Apples

Monday 13 June

Early start and said a fond farewell to Gary & Heidi. I thank them for the kind hospitality during a busy time. I drove the 3.5 hrs west to State College. I hadn’t realised that the town is called ‘state college’ and it really is a college town. Met up with Rob Cresweller an apple specialist and had lunch in town and chatted about research. Went to Rock Springs Farm with Rob and looked at Apple research including variety assessment for Organic Production. The highlights were finding that we are growing some of the same varieties, that they are growing a ‘ping flesh’ apple that when cut is pink inside and makes a pink apple juice !. They are also doing some pollination work with Japanese solitary bees that live in bamboo sticks plugged with mud in a pipe – they stay over winter and breed up. Not honey bees so no honey but still do the pollination job.

Late evening went to meet Mike Jacobsen at his house. He took me out for a ber and toi meet some friends at a local bar. Had a rely good Jambalaya dinner.