Biodiversity Index
Life thrives in biodiversity and we’re trying to embrace that within the ecology and business of FFFF by expanding the types of fruit we grow and varieties within the traditional fruit we offer. As we shift away from the conventional industrialized monoculture planting patterns of the past we’re diversifying our rows with careful thought put into plant neighbours, placement in regards to growth characteristics, light/nutritional/soil requirements, and ripening time. Even with most thorough planning and care, not everything planted will grow well here, and the varieties of apples we focus on will probably will be narrowed down to the most efficient best performing for our site. There are only a handful of desirable named varieties left to acquire, mostly for breeding purposes.
This season has also been encouraging for our own fruit breeding program with the FFFF New Fruit Development Initiative going into its second year and another 100 apple, pear, a few apricot, and some other seeds that have already germinated to be planted in 2025, and many plums, some apricots and peaches still stratifying in the cooler. I’m hoping to have some absolutely unique fruit growing here in 5-10 years and that it will encourage more growers to grow their own from seed. The 100 from last season are have seen some rodent and deer nibbles so far this winter but are still alive so far.
Also, over time, I’d like to add to this list to include the non fruiting flora and fauna onsite at FFFF, to compile a list. It will be interesting to track the increase in biodiversity over time. These next 10 years are bound to see a remarkably transformation if we continue on our our current trajectory of ecosystem focused holistic renewal of the land.
Apples
I’ve always loved apples. With their crisp flesh and brilliantly coloured skin, multitude of varieties and flavours, they’ll always be one of my favourite fruits, and each season often brings a new favourite to eat. Last year’s Red Delicious and McIntosh were truly delicious, this year the Vista Bella and Northern Spy were exceptional. With a large portion of the heirloom varieties growing on semi-standard m111 rootstock that were planted over 50 years ago, they produce significantly tastier apples than their contemporary dwarf rootstock grown commercially available counterparts. Last season our Red Delicious were significantly more flavourful than any grocery store apple I tried, including Honeycrisp and other new ‘crisp’ varieties. Many of the younger trees are on EMLA 26 rootstock which produces dwarf trees that fruit at a young age but also have less of a lifespan and many of ours have struggled with significant fireblight infections over the years. As we’ve transitioned to sustainable practices and eliminated our spray program it is likely they will succumb to the ailments that afflict them at a more rapid rate but we’ve already started the process of planting the orchard with their replacements. Also, leaving space for the New Fruit Development Initiative which will focus on developing higher nutrient density and disease resistance using our heirloom varieties as a starting point by hybridizing them with more robust red fleshed varieties. Focusing on biodiversity and polyculture approaches, we’re going to move forward by increasing the numbers of varieties that grow well here naturally, and thinning the rest. Red Fleshed apples have also become a focus as many are touted to have more health benefits and better overall disease resistance than commercially bred cultivars, assumedly because they may be closer to more robust wild/crabapple genetics.
Dolgo Crab
Ambrosia
Cortland
Double Red Delicious
Empire
Fuji
Gala Royal
Gala Must
Ginger Gold
Golden Delicious
Golden Russet
Honeycrisp
Idared
Jonagold
Lobo
McIntosh
Mutsu/Crispin
Northern Spy
Paula Red
Redcort
Red Delicious
Spartan
Stark Delicious
Sunrise
Vista Bella
Apples We’ve Planted (not yet fruiting)
Chestnut Crab
Geneva Crab
Kerr Crab
Ash mead’s Kernel
Belle de Boskoop
Bioactive
Blush Rosette
Burgundy
Cox Queen
Cox Orange
Florina
Frostbite
Goldrush
Grenadine
Harrison
Hidden Rose
Kanipe Red Flesh
Knobbed Russet
Milo Gibson
Motts Pink
Mountain Rose
Norman Cross
Pendragon
Pine golden Pippen
Pink Parfait
Pink Pearl
Pink Delight
Pink Sparkle/Pink Pearmain
Pixirosso
Pristine
Red Devil
Red Flesh
Red Love Era
Red Love Oydesso
Red Love Sirena
Red Moon
Rosette
Roxbury Russet
Rubiyait
Sansa
Snow
Sweet 16
Tangowine
Thornberry
Tickled Pink
Websters Pink Meat
William’s Pride
Winesap
Wolf River
Yellow Gravenstein
Yellow Transparent
Zabergau Reinette
Also the FFFF New Fruit Development Initiative has put 80+ unique seed started trees in the ground that are currently weathering their first winter. We have high hopes these will create some fantastic new apples that are especially well suited for our soils.
Pears
Pears deserve more credit and acceptance as an Ontario staple, they’ve been grown on this orchard for 60+ years and although many of the old trees are now slowly loosing their battle with fireblight, new fireblight resistant varieties are growing in to replace them, and the seeds from their fruit will be used in the New Fruit Development Initiative in hopes of growing more even more resilient and interesting varieties specifically suited for the home grower. Wether you like them a little tart and crunchy or sweet and soft, these incredible fruits will always have spaces within our orchards.
Bartlett
Bosc
D’Anjou
Flemish Beauty
French Bartlett
Red Bartlett
We’ve Planted but not yet fruiting
Bonne Louise de Jersey
DewDrop
Golden Spice
Harrow Bounty/Sunset
Harrow Crisp
Max Red Bartlett
Sunrise
Sensation Red Bartlett
Once some of the pears we’ve planted start fruiting they’ll be used in the FFFF NFDI as I’m impatiently waiting to use their disease resistant genetics.
Apricot
Although FFFF is yet to produce its first apricot we’ve planted an example of each of the varieties listed below and are eagerly awaiting their production. Many of the varieties planted are noted for their increased disease resistance and the seeds of those which grow best will also be utilized in the New Fruit Development Initiative in future seasons. When I was a kid I loved dried apricots, after having my first ever fresh apricot from Haist Family Farms, I knew we had to try grow some of our own.
Capilano
Casino
Harcot
Harglow
Hargrand
Haroblush
Jerseycot
Moorpark
Precious
Debbie’s Gold
Robada
Westcot
Veecot
Plums
With our plums performing the best they ever have this season, better than all the other fruits in terms of appearance, we’ve been encouraged to give this often under appreciated fruit the recognition it deserves. Many people have never experience the absolute pleasure of a truly ripe plum, having only eaten grocery store fruit that were picked too early to contribute to a longer shelf life and ease of transportation. However, hearing people exclaim “ that is the best plum I’ve ever eaten” numerous times this season reinforces the need to expose people to the incredible array of flavours and variety that this type of fruit tree can produce.
Early Golden
Burbank
Italian
Luisa
German
Krikon Damson
Mirabelle
Shiro
Stanley
Toka
Victory
Yakima
Pluots
Although I haven’t had the pleasure of eating one of these Plum/Apricot hybrids yet we’re hoping they grow well here and should have some samples to taste in a few years.
Dapple Dandy
Flavor Supreme
Cherries
The Tehranivee Cherries that are onsite have been consistently bursting on the branch with the increased volume of early season water we’ve been getting. Many growers in the area have been facing increased difficulties due to climate change and I’m becoming skeptical of the viability of this fruit in large numbers within our orchards.
Chums
With our Cherries failing to crop 2 years in a row and many of the trees that were already growing in the orchard in rough shape to begin with we’ve decided to try theses hybrid Cherry/Plums and see if they’re like conditions here better. (Planting in 2025)
Dura
Sapa
Convoy
Haskap/Honeyberry
These amazing Canadian cold hardy berries are becoming more popular with each season as their reputation grows for being super healthy and delicious! Also excellent for preserves, we’re hoping to have enough to start selling in 2026. With different varieties having different tastes and physical characteristics, it seems likely a FFFF directed cross for the NFDI is inevitable.
Aurora
Honey Gin
Berry Blue
Blue Banana
Blue Sea
Blue Velvet
Boreal Beast
Boreal Beauty
Boreal Blizzard
Strawberry Sensation
Blueberries
Although blueberries are touted as having specific soil preferences, when I saw some bushes for sale at the end of last season I couldn’t help but try a few varieties to see how they do here. We had a few handfuls of really delicious berries last year and hopefully this season they start really to come into their own.
Blueray
Bonus
Legacy
Sweetheart
Top Hat
Lowbush
Currants
My mom made currant jelly from her garden when I was growing up and I also loved the burst of tart flavour of the fresh fruit directly from the plant. Most of the varieties should produce their first berries this year.
Black Wellington
Pink Champagne
Red Lake
White Pearl
White Transparent
Serviceberry
Also known as Saskatoonberry or Juneberry, the first one I ever tasted was from a wild tree growing along the edge of the property, it was excellent! I was very excited to find a native example of this plant and I’m looking forward to comparing the fruit of the named cultivars we’ve planted.
Martin
Northline
Smokey
Thiessen
Aronia
Mainly sought after for their health benefits, as they’re absolutely packed with antioxidants, as well as boasting many other beneficial properties. Not really considered a fresh eating berry, although great in preserves the bushes also have an ornamental appeal.
Briliantissima
McKenzie
Melanocarpa
Prunifolia
Viking
Mulberry
There were a few mulberry trees growing on the property which I had never seen fruit, however the Red Mulberry seedlings I put in the ground at the end of 2023 produced some remarkably delicious berries this summer. We’re hoping the production increases and also added some named varieties.
Carmen
Illinois Everberring
Ivory
Red Mulberry Seedlings
Elderberry
These beautiful bushes with edible flowers and medicinal berries that must be cooked to be enjoyed are an often sought after ingredient for preserves.
Scotia
Kent
Bob Gordon
Goumi
These shrubby bushes produce tangy little berries that are known for their zesty flavour as well as nitrogen fixing abilities in the soil. Hoping to have some fruit in 2026 and eventually grow more from seed
Sweet Scarlett
Red Gem
Seabuckthorn
This Vitamin C powerhouse bush produces bright orange berries, recognized for its health benefits and also nitrogen fixing attributes.
Harvest Moon
Sirola
Pawpaw
When I had my first pawpaw, just after FFFF was established, I was flabbergasted that such a fruit grew in Canada natively, and that virtually nobody was growing it, or even aware that it existed. Also peculiar, I realized just last year that the property I grew up on, just up the street actually had a pawpaw tree on it that I remember bearing fruit (only once) as a kid, and asking my dad what it was. We forgot about it, and never got to eat the fruit, but with my sister living there now I’m very curious to see if we can get it to produce again. The tree is still there, but some big trees have fallen in the area and its pollinating partner may have been eliminated. With Pawpaw only beginning to be commercially cultivated their strong wild genetics are still prevalent and these trees grow well without any adulterants and although we’ve acquired a few named varieties I’ve focused mostly on planting seedlings from various sources and reputable breeders. Many of the recognized growers say that the quality of fruit is progressing well with directed breeding programs and we’re hoping that we have a few outstanding examples of exceptional and unique pawpaws within our orchards in 5 years or so when they start fruiting. They are notoriously slow growing but definitely worth the wait. We’ve started the Pelham Pawpaw Proliferation Project to help create awareness and encourage other people to grow this remarkable low maintenance fruit.
NC-1
PA Golden
Prolific
Susquehanna
Seedling of various origin (300+)
American Persimmon
Similar to pawpaw in their unrecognized amazingness, eating a ripe persimmon is almost unequivocal in pleasure, however when unripe they are equally distasteful, which to me is part of the appeal. These fruits can only be eaten once they’re soft and usually don’t ripen until after a couple frosts in the fall and can hang on the tree into the winter. We’ve planted a handful of grafted named varieties on site as well as numerous seedlings, but with only 1 in 5 seedlings producing fruit there will be some grafting and culling to be done in the future.
Campbell NC10
Gordon
Peiper
Szukis
Seedlings of local fruit
Asian Persimmon
Although common in many parts of the world we’re only starting to see Asian Persimmons in local grocery stores, always imported, but if you can afford one they can be very pleasant if milder in flavour than their American counterparts. Bigger and denser, almost like an incredibly sweet, more solid tomato, in consistency, most named varieties are unlikely to survive in our climate, however after researching the most cold hardy varieties we decided to try some out. Hoping to use their seeds to create better cold hardy versions we’re hoping they all survive their first winter.
Fuyu
Matsumoto Fuyu
Saijo
Jiro
Hybrid Asian/American Persimmon
I started a bunch of these from seed from legendary fruit breeder Cliff England’s Orchard in hopes to have some of his trees and life’s work of advanced genetics to contribute to the NFDI. They should be produce smaller trees than American Persimmon but hopefully retain their cold hardiness, and perhaps have less astringent fruit. I’m calling ours “Hypers”
Seedlings
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Jujube
One of humankind’s longest cultivated fruits is only now starting to become popular outside of its Asian homeland and although we’ve only got one named variety a bunch of seeds from different sources have been started and we’re hoping to have some fruit to eat in 5 years. Also known as Chinese Dates, they can be consumed fresh or dried.
Coco
Seedlings
Goji Berry
This shrubby bush is known for its super healthy berries and from my experience they definitely taste healthy. We’ve planted some examples along the edge of the property mostly as a hedge to prevent access to the orchard from the street. With a few named varieties and some seeds from Amber Sweet Golden Yellow Goji and Black Goji growing I’m expecting them to taste equally as unappealing. Thankfully the bushes grow really interesting, are super hardy, and they don’t require much care.
Firecracker
Red Gem
Sweet Scarlet
Amber Sweet Golden Yellow Goji seedlings
Black Goji seedlings
Figs
Another fruit that most people aren’t aware can be grown in this climate, although most require some winter protection. As I’m writing this it is -20c, the coldest day of their first winter in the ground so we’ll see how many survive. Many will likely die back to their roots which is less than ideal, but my intention is to grow them as a hedge anyway. I had my first fresh fig ever in 2024 from a cutting that I rooted in autumn 2023 and it was great! Fig trees can be propagated from cuttings quite easy and I had a high success rate with my first attempts.
Black Mission
Brunswick
Ciccio
Celeste
Celeste Improved
Chicago Hardy
Dalmatie
Excel
Florea/Kirilovu/michurnska?
Longe D’Aout
Ronde De Bordeaux
Sal’s El
MBVZ
Niagara Black
Negronne
Petite Negra
Quebec
Smith
Svinita
Violette de Bordeaux
Pomegranates
Similar to figs they can be propagated from cuttings quite easily but require winter protection. We’ll see how many survive this winter.
Salavatski
Pom Wonderful seedlings
Nuts
Easily one of my favourite snacks, we’re trying to grow some more nut trees on the property after realizing the propensity of Black Walnuts to sprout virtually everywhere. With many health properties and beautiful trees that can be useful to many animals we’re looking forward to seeing what other nuts we can grow.
Black Walnut
Buartnut
Butternut
English Walnut
Hazelnut
Heartnut
Ultra Northern Pecan
Shag/Shellbark Hickory (not sure which)
Pignut/Bitternut hickory (not sure which)
Other Trees
With the majority of the trees on the property being there for production purposes these other trees are valuable for other reasons, the wildlife enjoy them, they’re beautiful, and
Cedar
Hemlock
Juniper
Poplar
Red Oak
Sassafras
Staghorn Sumach
Weeping Willow
White Pine
Other (not yet fruiting) plants
Autumn Olive
Cornelian Dogwood Cherry
High bush Cranberry
Medlar
Nanking Cherry
Nannyberry
Silver Buffalo Berry