State Organization
Founded in 1968, the California Rare Fruit Growers (CRFG) is the largest amateur fruit growing organization in the world. Although oriented toward the environmentally sound culture of any and all edible plants in the home landscape, CRFG is focused on species not native to nor grown commercially in any given area. Its mission is to share knowledge acquired from its activities with home growers in particular and with anyone else in the world having an interest in edible plant cultivation.
CRFG publishes an award winning bi-monthly magazine titled “The Fruit Gardener”. This full color edited publication includes articles on a wide variety of subjects, such as how to plant and care for your trees, and what to do with your new source of food!
Santa Clara Valley (SCV) Chapter
Located in the heart of the Silicon Valley, the Santa Clara Valley chapter of the CRFG is dedicated to growing and exchanging knowledge about delicious, rare, and historic fruit from the Valley of the Hearts Delight and beyond. Our chapter began in the early 1980’s with meetings initially in members’ homes. A relationship with Emma Prusch Farm Park began not long after. Being an historic farm, the location seemed a natural.
Two orchards were started at Prusch Park, with efforts from the CRFG members and Master Gardeners of Santa Clara county. The International Rare Fruit Orchard is near the Meeting Hall, where chapter meetings are usually held. And the Deciduous Fruit Orchard, or Heritage Orchard is across the large grassy meadow. These orchards were planted to provide examples of unusual fruits for our area, and are to provide scion wood for our exchanges.
Noteable Activities
- The Santa Clara Valley chapter has held a deciduous wood scion exchange every year since the mid 1980s, with the goal of promoting wider growth of varieties not easily found otherwise.
- The general meetings are held every other month, at Prusch Park, with invited speakers on a wide range of topics.
- The chapter organizes tours of member gardens, and occasionally other public gardens/farms.
- The online forum is active, with sharing of tips, questions, successes and sometimes failures.
Member Spotlight
Andy Mariani, Andy’s Orchard
Andy Mariani is a frequent source of guidance in our membership forum, particularly when the questions involve stone fruits. The presentations he provides for our group are always informative, and well attended. What some may not know is that his orchards are a source of scion wood for our annual scion exchange. Since Andy is very particular about what he grows, one can be sure his scions will produce tasty fruit. A good way to find out about a particular variety of fruit, is to visit Andy’s Orchard, his store in Morgan Hill.
Santa Clara chapter of CRFG, is very lucky to count Andy among its members!
