By Vincenzo Velletri

I have been very pleased to receive an email from Richard Pittaway and to meet him at his farm in the Swan Valley where he collects heritage fruit trees. Richard helps coordinate the Heritage and Rare Fruit Network efforts over here in Western Australia.

Collecting and saving these old fruit varieties ties in beautifully with the Slow Food International project ‘Ark of Taste’ to prevent the disappearance of local food cultures and traditions. Richard told me that West Australia has a great history of producing great quality fruit and new varieties too.  The most famous would be the Cripps Pink and Cripps Red apples but some others are the Lady Williams apple and the Amber Jewel plum. Some of the varieties he has found over the past few years include George Wilson, a late blood plum, and an old variety of delicious apple, which still has flavour compared to the newer varieties of delicious.

Some of the Australian bred apples that he has received over the last few years, besides the more common ones such as Cripps Pink, Cripps Red, Granny Smith and Lady Williams, are: Abas, Australian Beauty, Bismarck, Bonza, Campbellton Russet, Crofton Red, Democrat, Dunn’s Seedling, Earlidel, Geeveston Fanny, King Cole, Lord Nelson, Murray Gem /Red Gem/ Red Granny Smith, Rokewood, Statesman, Stewart’s Seedling/Ballarat, Summerdel, Summer Strawberry, Tasman Pride

Some other uncommon apples from around the world: Cellini, Fennolit Gris, Freyburg, Mutsu, Reinette Doree/ Golden Reinette, Splendour, Sturmer Pippin, Tsugaru

He is still looking for some Australian varieties such as Karragullen, King’s Cross, Boswell, Legana, Shepherds Perfection; also, a couple of different cider apples in Champ-Gaillard, Egleton Styre, plus more

Richard is always out looking for these old varieties of pomes and stonefruit.  If anyone has any of these old varieties or perhaps a seedling tree he would love to hear from you.  Also, if you have an old tree that perhaps has seen better days and you want to save it by starting a new one he can help with that.

If anyone is looking for some of these different apples, he can also graft to order these heritage/ less common varieties at this stage, normally in late July and recommends the mm102 rootstock for the common garden as it’s the smallest grower that won’t require staking, but can do them on other rootstock if you want a bigger tree. He will grow them up for a year ready for next winter

They also have a website Heritage & Rare Fruit Network – Home (weebly.com) and have an Australian and WA facebook pages if you are interested.  Heritage and Rare Fruit Network (Australia) | Facebook

We really love what Richard is doing and we would like to help preserve those varieties by inviting our network to plant a heritage fruit tree in their backyard or hobby farm. We are working with Richard to organize an event where he can tell us about his work and give you the opportunity to buy some of his ready to plant seedlings. Check our website and social media to keep up to date with this event.