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The Heritage Fruits Society Inc.

Had its roots in the East Gippsland Organic growers association who 17 years ago handed over the work they had done so far to a new sub group of Permaculture Melbourne Inc. – The “Heritage Fruits Group- HFG”

Under this banner we ran “grafting days” plus talks for community groups, at conferences and schools on the benefits of saving the Old varieties for the future.

We also collected and established private collections and added to any we could help, this continues today and in 1999 we began working with the Petty’s orchard in Templestowe to help save the collection established there in 1984 with 200 varieties of apples on different rootstocks and demonstration trellis systems.

This work increased as individual members of the group ran the 2 day apple festival held yearly on the last weekend in March, meanwhile others worked each year on those two days running tours through the collections and having displays of 120+ varieties for the public to see and as many as 80 to taste.

 

We also set up permaculture display tents to improve public awareness of how to design mixed home orchards, how to grow trees in the backyard and all the management techniques needed, these simple systems help to do lots of the work for you.

The workload and focus shifted in 2003 when the group took on the Petty’s Collection which is about 2 acres, then in 2007 we officially took on the full responsibility of its maintenance and the costs involved with a “gentleman’s” sub lease. 

 

 In these 16 years of HFG a dedicated band of around 16 people did most of the tasks but also through this work increased their knowledge on fruit trees and old varieties significantly some now run their own nurseries and many other related ventures.

At the 2006 Collingwood Children’s Farm Heritage fruits day, members decided to look towards incorporation of this group due to the constraints we faced with getting grant money to fulfill some of the plans we had to improve the collection from 200 to around 600 vars still around in Victoria the old structure did not suit the standards that some funding bodies required and the move would also open many more doors for us to help save the collection and improve it.

 

So in May 2008 the Heritage Fruits Society Inc.- HFS was formed (this has taken a year to complete).

So why do this and what benefits are there.-

similar groups in other states have 300+ members.

The New HFS does not require people to use only organic methods to grow fruit; or require you to join a group that may not be “your cup of tea”, the focus is on the conservation of the varieties and the sharing of propagation materials to help people conserve these at home or in the orchard.

 

Of course many in the group will continue to grow fruit under Certified Organic, Biodynamic and chemical free Permaculture systems and are willing to share their experience, this is fast becoming the choice of farmers and certainly is the fastest growth area in food production that is due to the very high customer demand worldwide.

We have seen commercial orchardists’ with large collections in all parts of the world because once you learn the simple art of grafting new varieties it often becomes infectious, some of our members have 300+ different apples at home, but this is not the only fruit we care about. We are just as happy to save pears, Nashi, figs, berries, plums or avocados not to mention all the more exotic fruits that you can order online to grow.

 

So as members you can- get access to over a thousand fruit varieties, participate in all sorts of activities and be kept informed of coming events, courses and tours of the collections (Public & Private), you may wish to learn more about the varieties and how to grow them or you may be happy just knowing your membership will help keep as many of these for the future use of breeders, orchardists’ and the home gardeners as well. Discounts at the HFS grafting days. We also have links to other interstate groups.

 

We hope to here from you soon- Silvia and Peter Allen more info-- 0418 665 880 or email us from this site