2019-2020  President's Report

Last financial year has been quite a mixed one for everyone, and the Heritage Fruits Society is no exception. We began the year with successful if somewhat reduced grafting days at Pettys and CERES in August. We did little in the way of publicity, and this is an area which we are not strong. Maybe it’s because we attract volunteers who are more interested in other things!

Our tastings were reduced to one small event in March due to the restriction on gatherings, and this resulted in a drop in income of over $1000.

It is significant that the Werribee Park Heritage Orchard group has begun selling apple trees and scion at their events, such that it is no longer viable for us to attend. Together with this and reduced sales overall, we had a deficit of $2680 for the year. However, we still maintain a healthy bank balance to go forward, with a number of projects which have developed through the year and continue into the new financial year. We had additional spending due to the project to plant a collection of heritage plums at Pettys, and this additional spending will continue into the next financial year.

We purchased 25 apple rootstock that we could double-graft and now have over 20 ready to plant at Pettys in 2021. This is part of a plan to plant varieties from Rippon Lea that we don’t currently have, and some duplication of varieties at Pettys that are at risk because the tree is in poor condition or poorly represented elsewhere. I’d like to thank Justin Buckley, Executive Manager at Rippon Lea for allowing us to cut their scion. (A few of our members spent a day at Rippon Lea in winter assisting with pruning their orchard).

In the winter of 2019 we planted 12 varieties of apricot in the area just north of the marquee (now we have 14), with a view to eventually having around 25 apricot varieties for conservation, tastings, and tree sales. The Committee has recently committed some funds for a project to net that area.

We have been collecting plum varieties for a few years, and made a third trip last year to cut scion from Graeme’s collection. Jumping ahead to the present, I can report that the two northernmost rows of apples at Pettys were removed last month, and a small group of volunteers has planted 76 of those plum varieties out at Pettys, with another 25 set to go in next year. We will just share with you a photo of the area.

Plans for the next few years include:

• Additions to our apple varieties – there are currently about 30 additional varieties grafted and growing to a plantable size – damage by kangaroos is our biggest problem in planting at Pettys.

• Additions to our apricot and plum collections. We currently have a few more to plant, and are looking to access more varieties.

• Netting the apricot area using a steel frame, to test the group’s ability to do this with volunteers, with a view to possibly netting the whole area at Pettys.

• Looking at ways we can support other groups and locations in planting and maintaining heritage fruit collections.

I’d like to thank everyone who has attended the AGM, and who has supported the group in some way. In our own quiet way we are publicising heritage fruits and maintaining the diversity of fruit varieties. Stay safe.

~ Cecilia Egan, President HFS.