A SIMPLE GUIDE TO RAISING & MILKING GOATS

Re-Posted in Full from http://www.weedemandreap.com/raising-goats-milking-goats/

SINCE I KNOW ALL YOU GUYS ARE JUST DYING TO OWN SOME GOATS…

…and since I know all your husbands/boyfriends/fiances/girlfriends/wives are, like, totally begging you to please move to a farm so you can milk goats every morning… I’ve decided to compile a simple guide to raising and milking goats.

When I first was interested in getting a goat or two, I had NO IDEA how it all worked. Hopefully I can assist some readers out there in their research and maybe I’ll even convince you naysayers to get a goat yourself! Then you can be a weird goat person like me! And just think, next year you can send out Christmas card photos of you and your goat. (Don’t worry, you won’t look weird AT ALL).1

Side note: If you want to check out why we drink raw goat’s milk and how it helped reverse my son’s asthma, click on the links, yo.

THE BASICS:

Female goats are called DOES or DOELINGS as babies. Male goats are called BUCKS or BUCKLINGS as babies. If a male goat has been castrated (neutered) they are known as a WETHER.

The ONLY way to get milk from a goat is to get a female doe pregnant so she can have babies first. Each time a goat has babies, this kick starts her milk production and is known as a FRESHENING. It’s very similar to humans. At first the mother has a lot of milk, but then gradually over the course of about a year, the amount of milk reduces. Typically, goats have their babies in the spring, then at 8 weeks you can sell the babies and enjoy milk for almost an entire year. You’ll want to breed your goat again in the fall if you want to freshen her milk again in the spring. Don’t worry, you can still milk a doe while she is pregnant, but you’ll have to let her dry up 2 months before she is due so she can build up some nutritional reserves for her offspring.

Here’s a pic of a fabulous Nigerian Dwarf goat who looks like she really needs to be milked. Ouch.

 

DEBUNKING SOME MYTHS:

Goats will not eat your lawn mower, your outdoor furniture, your trampoline, or your kid’s toys. They may chew on the bark of a tree and will eat the fruit that falls off (although my goats don’t like citrus), but that’s about it.

Female goats (or DOES) are not mean and won’t try to head butt you or bite. Male goats that are castrated (WETHERS) are nice too. Male goats that are intact (BUCKS) can be aggressive and bite/head butt. But I’m sure there are some nice ones out there, too. 

PURCHASING YOUR VERY FIRST GOAT:

First thing you need to know is that there are many different breeds of goats.

• There are dairy breeds: Nubian, La Mancha, Alpine, Oberhasli, Toggenburg, Saanen, Sable, and Nigerian Dwarf goats.
• There are meat breeds: Spanish, Tennessee, Boer, and Kiko goats.
• There are some fancy–pantsy breeds that produce fibers for fabric: Angora and Cashmere goats.
• And then there are the fun pet breeds: Pygmy and Fainting goats.

I’m sure I forgot a couple breeds here, but you get the idea that there are special jobs for certain breeds. Since I don’t know very much about any other breeds than milking breeds, that’s what I’m going to talk about today. (Although it would be pretty fun to have a couple fainting goats, am I right?)

When I started looking at the different dairy breeds, all I cared about was the flavor of their milk. I tried a couple different breeds’ milk and there were some that had that all too familiar musky/goaty flavor. Yup, not gonna drink that!

When I tried the Nigerian Dwarf’s milk, it was amazing! Very smooth and fresh, and a bit sweet without any sort of aftertaste. I learned that Nigerians were bred for this purpose, to have milk that tastes similar to cow’s milk. So I would personally recommend Nigerians for the best tasting milk. Nigerians are also smaller and eat less hay, so that’s a bonus. Full grown, Nigerians are only about 75 lbs.

UPDATE: I have tried various Nubian milk and some has been delicious. Some was not so delicious. Good milk handling practices are important, but I’d also make sure the bloodline of goat you purchase has a good flavor just to be sure.

When starting out, you should purchase TWO does or doelings. Goats are herd animals and they will be super sad (and LOUD) if left alone. Ask me how I know.

Yep, we bought just one goat at first and that dang thing was always bleating and calling out for a friend. So you’ll definitely want to find that goat a friend. A dog or some chickens won’t cut it. Any other hoofed animal would though. A cow, a sheep, a horse—they find friends in these creatures too. I wouldn’t recommend purchasing a buck or buckling yet, unless there are not many already close by to breed with in the future. Bucks can stink a lot when they are older, and are pretty disgusting and aggressive. If they are kept in close quarters with a doe, the flavor of your milk can actually taste really bad! They give off strong pheromones that change the female doe’s hormones too. In the end, unless you want to really start a herd of goats, you can just borrow a buck once a year for breeding time (or take your female does over for a visit to Mr. Buck’s house) and be done with it.

THE COST OF A GOAT:

OPTION #1 – Buy a baby goat doeling.

The cheapest way is to buy a young doeling, as young as 8 weeks old (that’s the time when they can be1 weaned from their mother). Goat breeders usually have a lot of babies around the same time and are willing to offer package deals for two or more goats. The only con with this is you’ll have to wait AT LEAST a year to a year and a half before you can breed, then you’ll have to wait 5 months until they have babies and start giving milk. For Nigerian Dwarfs, you can find a young doeling for $150-$300 depending on their parents background, milking star awards, and colorings. Goats with blue eyes usually cost more.
TIP: The most important thing is FRIENDLINESS of the baby goat. You don’t want one that runs away and is afraid of everything. Although this can be sometimes hard to tell because baby goats like to RUN, haha. As long as they will eat from your hand, you’re okay.

OPTION #2 – Buy a junior doeling.

Sometimes you can get lucky and find an older doeling (6 months to 1 year old) and skip ahead a bit. Female does that are older, but haven’t been bred their first time yet are called JUNIOR DOES. Sometimes you can get lucky and have them bred BEFORE you purchase them. This way, you only have to wait 5 months until you have fresh milk. The only con with this is it gets more expensive as they get older, and then you have to tack on a breeding fee. I bought a Nigerian Dwarf goat this way for $400 total. Five months later, she had babies and it was perfect. Although we did pay top dollar at first.
TIP: You’ll want one that is friendly and NOT SKITTISH, and you’ll want to look at HER MOTHER’S TEAT SIZE and production. Don’t even worry about the junior doeling’s teats, they are always small before they have babies, but just be sure to check the mother.

OPTION #3 – Buy a senior doe in milk.

The final way to purchase is to look for a FEMALE DOE ALREADY IN MILK. This is what I tried to do at first. I “thought” this was the easy way, but in the end I just kept getting does that nobody wanted and had problems. Sometimes you can find one that is a good producer and no problems, but more often than not, the breeder is downsizing the herd, and the doe your about to purchase is at the bottom of the list. You’ll find these does are cheaper, like $150-$200.
TIP: If you still want to pursue this option, look for traits that will be worth having. You want a goat that ISN’T SKITTISH, that is producing the correct amount of milk for the season (see below), and that has a good teat length (1 1/2 inch or longer). You’ll also want to make sure she doesn’t have any visible signs of infection or skin disorders.

THE COST TO KEEP A GOAT:

Nigerians eat 2 lb. of feed a day, which is 4 c. of the alfalfa/bermuda blend pellets. We have figured that it costs us about $12 a month in hay/pellets to feed one Nigerian Dwarf goat. If they are giving 7-15 gallons a month of milk, then it comes out to an average of $1.50/gallon of milk. This is assuming your only costs are the basics though. You need to add on the costs for minerals, herbs, wipes (I use our Homemade Baby Wipe Recipe), filters, and the occasional Ultrasound ($20) or blood test ($5-$25).

BUT you also have to remember that goats have babies every year that you can sell. Imagine your goat has three babies and you sell each for $200. That MORE than covers the costs of a goat for one year.

In the end, goats pretty much pay for themselves. All you have to invest to get that raw, nutritional milk is your research and your time.

 

HOW MUCH MILK DOES A GOAT PRODUCE?

This information is for raising a Nigerian Dwarf goat. They are about half the size of a normal goat, hence the name Dwarf, so the larger goats produce more, I’m sure.

When a Nigerian Dwarf FRESHENS, or has babies, her udder is operating a full capacity. You will start to milk your goat when the babies are two weeks old. You will separate the babies from mom at night and then let her udder fill up all night. In the morning she will have a large udder full of milk, and you can milk as much out as you can before letting her back in with her babies for the rest of the day.

But what about milk for the babies? This is the awesome thing about goats. They have a reflex that will literally “hold back” milk for their babies. So, in the morning, when you are milking, you can simply milk until she wants you to stop. You will know because you will squeeze and squeeze and barely get anything. Pretty cool, huh? I think so!

Once the babies can be weaned (8 weeks old) you will be able to milk your goat morning and night. This is when your goat will be at her PEAK PRODUCTION. At this time our Nigerian Dwarfs are making about a quart or more atMORNING and again at NIGHT. Total milk per day is 1/2 gallon or 15 gallons a month.

Very gradually, your goat’s milk production will start to go down. At about 5-6 months after freshening, a Nigerian Dwarf will give about 3 cups at MORNING and again at NIGHT. Total milk per day is 1 1/2 quarts, or 11 gallons a month.

At about 8-9 months after freshening, she’ll be at 2 cups at MORNING and again at NIGHT. Total milk per day is one quart or 7 gallons a month.

If your doe is pregnant, then her milk will continue to dry up and at 10 months you should stop milking. If your doe is not pregnant, she may continue to produce milk for up to 2 years. It really just depends on the individual goat.

RAISING BABY GOATS:

A baby goat must drink from its mother for at least 8 weeks before it can be weaned to complete hay or pasture. Some goat owners will take the babies away from the mother right away and bottle feed. They will keep them in separate places, milk the mother, and then pour the milk into a bottle and feed the baby. Seems like a lot of work, huh? Well, some goat owners believe this is beneficial and makes very tame and friendly goats. In an extreme case where the goat momma dies or abandons her kid, you’ll be stuck with this task whether you want it or not.

Personally, I believe it’s cruel to voluntarily take the babies away. Allowing your doe to experience the joy (and pain) of raising her own kids lets her fill the measure of her species. It’s really quite a sweet thing to see a momma goat patiently feed her hungry babies, call out when they call for her, and endure the endless jumping and tugging on her body. As a mom, I totally understand what she goes through. And by the time they are 8 weeks old, they are naughty teenagers ready to explore on their own!

 

 

 

To help your baby goats become friendly, spend time petting and being with them. Feed them hay and bits of grain, and although they may be afraid at first they’ll warm up quick once they associate you with food!

 

WHAT DO GOATS EAT?

Contrary to popular belief, goats don’t eat everything. In fact, they are picky little stinkers! Goats are browsers, not grazers. This means they do not like to graze like a horse or cow or deer. They like to forage for their food and tend to love weeds more than grass.

In my area, we have alfalfa hay bales, bermuda hay bales, and a bermuda/alfalfa blend. We also have alfalfa pellets, bermuda pellets, and bermuda/alfalfa pellets. Goats can eat different things like rye, clover, fescue, and orchardgrass. Since I live in the desert, we pretty much stick to alfalfa and bermuda with some occasional clover.

HERE ARE THE PROS AND CONS WITH BUYING GOAT FOOD IN HAY VS. PELLETS:

HAY (alfalfa, bermuda, or blend) 

PRO: Hay is in the best for a goat’s stomach. The long stems aid in digestion and bacteria processing done in their rumen. Anything in its most natural form is going to be the healthiest.

CON: It’s usually a couple dollars more expensive. It’s messy. And since goats are foragers, they will sift through it, eat the best parts, and leave a lot of waste. Don’t think that if you stop feeding them, they’ll eat the waste eventually, because they won’t. They are stubborn and will starve before they eat it. Okay maybe not starve, but they’ll get pretty malnourished. If you can’t buy organic, there may be a lot of pesticide residue on the hay since they don’t wash before harvest. Check this with your local farmer before buying.

PELLETS (alfalfa, bermuda, or blend)

PRO: It’s a couple dollars cheaper than hay. It’s clean and easy to transport and carry. There’s no waste. The alfalfa/bermuda is washed with water before processing. This is especially beneficial if you aren’t able to purchase organic varieties. Hopefully during the washing, some of the pesticides can be removed.

CON: It’s not quite as healthy. Goats do need those long stems and you’ll want to try to supplement a bit with a real hay or grass substitute if possible.

HOW WE FEED OUR GOATS:

At first, we bought pellets and fed them that year round. Occasionally we’d buy alfalfa as a treat, or cut down some branches from our trees to supplement. Suddenly I realized it was pretty silly of me to have a whole acre of bermuda grass and yet, I was buying an alfalfa/bermuda blend. I started to research online what other goat owners across the country did, and I realized a lot of people were setting their goats out to pasture on bermuda ALONE! Wait, this would make goats grazers, wouldn’t it? Won’t they hate it? I decided to see for myself.

Here in Arizona, bermuda grass grows like crazy from about May until October. In my backyard I had organic, bermuda and I wasn’t even letting my goats eat it. I decided to force them to be grazers for the summer. In reality, I wasn’t really forcing them to be grazers at all because bermuda grass is actually a weed, and I also noticed my yard had a mix of crabgrass, clover and weeds too.1

My goats at first didn’t know what was up. They LOVED being able to wander around and get some exercise, but they were confused. Soon, they remembered they had a natural ability to forage for themselves and spent the whole summer and fall enjoying the grass/weeds. I still gave them treats of alfalfa and grain occasionally, but for the most part they lived off bermuda and they continued to have high amounts of milk throughout. We fed an organic grain mixture only at the stand when milking.

Now, I am incorporating something new into my goats’ diet. The book Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Dr. Weston A. Price states that animals who ate barley or rye grass in the 1930s had the highest amounts of fat soluble vitamins in their milk. I also learned from the book that animals, even dairy animals, have been eating grass fed ONLY diets for thousands of years. Their stomachs really weren’t meant to digest grain. Although it’s true that grain was often given at the end of the fall harvest as a treat, for the most part, goats, sheep, and cows ate a diet of rich grass.

I’ve decided to move my animals to a full grass fed diet. This means that I will no longer be offering grain at the milking stand. Instead, I’ll be growing barley grass in small plastic flats, much like wheat grass is grown, and feeding a 4″ by 4″ square with the grass being about a foot tall at each milking. My friend who does this says her goats LOVE this rich green grass, and I am excited because it will help me supplement throughout the entire year!

SO, HERE’S MY ENTIRE FEEDING SCHEDULE FOR YOU:

May – October: Bermuda grass in the pasture. Barley grass at the milking stand. Produce scraps.
April and November: 1/2 ration of Organic Alfalfa Pellets. Bermuda grass in the pasture. Barley grass at the milking stand. Produce scraps.
December – March: FULL ration of Organic Alfalfa Pellets. Goats in pens to collect manure for spring vegetable garden. Barley grass at the milking stand. Produce scraps.

Eventually, we would like to grow our own alfalfa in the summer to store for the winter. I’ll let you know how that turns out!

I also supplement with a mineral blend from Hoegger’s and herbal mixes for deworming and general care from Fir Meadows.

If you look over at Fiasco Farms, they have a lot of different nutritional advice for goats. You’ll see our feeding method is a bit simpler than Fiasco Farms. I love Fiasco Farms information, but I don’t think our goats need any more supplementation that what we already give.

BREEDING A GOAT:

If you don’t own a male goat (also known as a BUCK), then you’ll need to find one if you want milk. The cost of a stud fee can vary greatly depending on the quality of the buck. I would say it’s anywhere between $50-$100 for a breeding. We’ve brought our female does to the buck’s house, and brought the buck to us. Both ways work, so it’s up to you on which you prefer.

But it’s not very fun to transport a buck, let me tell you! If you are paying for a stud fee, the buck owner should take responsibility of checking frequently to notice if your doe has been bred. Sometimes it can be easy to miss, but they should be making an effort. A good sign that your doe has been bred is that you’ll see a milky white discharge coming from her. Sounds gross, I know. But it’s really hard to tell if a doe is pregnant until they’re about to deliver (they have such big stomachs anyway), so be very grateful if you see that fluid after a breeding!!

CARING FOR A PREGNANT DOE:

A goat pregnancy lasts 150 days, or 5 months. You can milk a pregnant doe until 2 months before delivery. They naturally start to dry up at this exact same time anyway, but it’s important to encourage it to happen. To dry up a goat, you simply milk less. You can go from every other day, to every few days, and by then you won’t want to drink the milk. By this time the mineral buildup is too high and the milk will taste salty.

Make sure in the last two months you de-worm them herbally1 and supplement their diet with some leftover produce scraps from your kitchen. Fruit and vegetables can be fun treats at this time and give a little boost of nutrition. You can also give a little organic grain as a treat, but don’t overdo it. Traditionally, animals ate a leftover grain from the harvest in the fall, but grain is hard to digest and can be acidic to a goats body. Some people believe animals with rumen stomachs shouldn’t eat grain at all, but I think a little now and then is fine. I will also soak the grain or sprout before I give it, to help with digestibility.

A telltale sign that your doe is getting close to delivery is to run your fingers alongside her spine all the way to the tail. Just before you get to the tail, see if you can squeeze the ligament just before her tail. If you do this about 2-3 weeks before delivery, you’ll be able to notice a definite relaxing of that ligament. Once you feel it’s completely gone, you know delivery should be soon, within a couple days.

To spare you all the details of birth, go ahead and visit the Fiasco Farms page about goat deliveries. And be sure to prepare yourself for the occasional problem delivery. We went 4 years with no issues and then we had an issue with this goat delivery here. Read up on possible issues during delivery before it happens! Don’t worry, there aren’t a ton of issues that can happen, but there are a couple things you gotta understand about how baby goaties are born.

BABY GOATIES ARE HERE!

Yes, I know they’re called kids. Over here we like to say baby goaties, ’cause we’re cool like that. When the goaties come out, be sure to wipe them off and sit them right up to Mom so she can lick ’em till they shine  You don’t want to take them away and clean them or anything, because you want the mom and baby bond to develop! The surge of oxytocin she gets will help her feel that love towards her little goatie. And trust me, you want a momma goat that loves her baby!

It won’t be too long until that baby starts to stand. You’ll want to stay out there with Momma and babies until you are sure all are standing and able to suck. Sometimes you’ll get a weak baby and you’ll have to watch for that. You’ll probably walk out to check on them/play with them in the next couple days anyway, so just take note while you’re out there and make sure each kid is able and strong enough to fight its way to a teat.

The DAM (or momma doe) will have afterbirth/blood/goo for up to 2 weeks. As long as it gets less and less, she is fine. You may take her temperature to monitor her health, but I never do this because I know my goats behavior pretty well and if they are eating and drinking and alert I know they are okay.

HOW TO ACTUALLY MILK A GOAT:

Once upon a time there was a woman who bought a goat. She was so excited to get FRESH milk every day! She woke up early one morning, and with butterflies in her stomach she put her goat on the milking stand, poured some grain in the feeder, and started to tug. Nothing. “Hmmmm,” the woman thought. She tugged and tugged. After 30 minutes and approximately one teaspoon of milk, the woman started to cry. “Why can’t I milk this freaking goat?!”, she yelled to the sky.

Then the woman got the BEST idea! She raced inside and rummaged through some old boxes. She ran back out to the impatient goat. Using her old breast pump, the woman was able to extract all the milk from the goat.

Aaaaannd THAT is how my first experience with milking a goat went. Yessiree, I used my old breast pump. Worked well, too! Only thing was, I knew I’d eventually have to learn how to milk my goat the right way.

Here’s what you do: You don’t tug at all. Your goal is to trap the milk in the teat. You do this by pinching your thumb and first finger. Then WHILE HOLDING THAT PART PINCHED, you put pressure on the teat with your other fingers.

 

 

It’s more difficult than it looks. But this is only because the muscles in your hands aren’t strong yet. At first it’ll take you 30 minutes to milk a goat, but then you’ll get to the point that it literally takes you 5 minutes. Trust me, you’ll get so fast at milking and your brain will memorize the movement that you’ll be able to do it in your sleep.


How time consuming is it to raise and milk goats? And how do you take vacations?

It would seem from all this information that it must take A LOT of TIME to keep goats. But actually, I probably spend 10-25 minutes a day taking care of them. This includes feeding AND milking. When they go into labor, I spend probably 3-4 hours with them, but that’s only once a year.

When we want to go on vacation we call up a fellow goat friend and do a trade. We probably go on vacation 2-3 times per year so it’s no big deal. I actually enjoy milking my friend’s goats for a week or so because I used the extra milk to make a lot of cheese! The best way to find goaty friends near you is to join the American Goat Society. They have a directory of all the breeders in the U.S., which they will mail to you!

“WHEW!”
Holy long blog post, Goat Girl! I think I just about covered everything I can think of. E-mail me if you have any questions. Peace out goat lovers!

UPDATE ON “FENCING”:

Goats are definitely escape artists. We learned the hard way when our goat kept escaping!
The best advice I can give is to never underestimate the agility of a goat. They only need a tiny piece of wood to scale a fence. Your fence should be AT LEAST 4-5 ft high.

Here’s a really simple fence for you: Build one out of “no climb” fencing. No climb fencing is a wire fence that is smaller at the bottom and larger at the top. They come in flexible rolls, or harder, thicker panels. Either way, you can use those with some t-posts and that should do fine. The goal is you don’t want a top horizontal beam, you just want the wire instead with some kind of post every 8-10 ft. Also, some good advice would be to put the shelter/shade in the MIDDLE of their enclosure. Too close to the edge and they’ll jump right over.

WANT MORE INFORMATION ON GOATS? READ MY OTHER ARTICLES!

• Milk Showdown: Cow vs. Sheep vs. Goat – Which is best
• Goat Pregnancy & Birthing Checklist
• Post-Partum Care for Goats
• How to Disbud & Dehorn a Baby Goat
• How to Keep Raw Goat’s Milk Fresh and Delicious
• How to Milk a Goat
• How to Milk a Goat: Taught By An Adorable 8-year-old
• A Simple Guide to Buying Your first Goat
• What do Goats Really Eat?

Our funny goat adventures:

• Goat Glamour Shots
• Happy Anniversary Honey. p.s. The goat has diarrhea
• The Goat in the Garage: A Practical Alternative to the Elf on the Shelf
• A tale of the Littlest Goat you ever did see
• The Most Hilarious Goat Birth EVER.
• A goat giving birth, an emergency, and a brave girl with a glove.

© 2013 Weed'em & Reap. All Rights Reserved.

The American Chestnut: Tragedy, legend, salvation through GMO technology

The very essence of the American Chestnut is one of tragedy and possible salvation from the dirty little phrase GMO.  The once mighty King of the American forest of the eastern United States was all but decimated by 1960, with a few small stands in Maine, Pennsylvania, New York and southern Appalachia.  The tree was once the very essence of Americana, used as lumber, a food source, honey and by-products such as tannin for leather production and silk dying.  Furniture, homes, barrels, railroad ties and fences.  American Chestnut was the tree of everyday lives.

American Chestnut Blight in Adams, MA.

It was not devastated from over-harvesting, clear cutting or other indiscriminate lumbering processes, it was however destroyed at the hands of man, unknowingly.  It was with the introduction of the American Chestnuts cousin, the Chinese Chestnut that was its demised.  Early in the 19th century Chinese Chestnut was imported to the US as an ornamental addition to urban landscapes.  Unknown was that the Asian cousin carried a fungus that it was genetically immune to and in 1904 it was first identified at the Bronx Zoo, called the Chestnut blight.  Within 50 years almost 4 billion American Chestnut trees had been killed in over 200 million acres of eastern forests.

These once titans, stood 100 feet tall and 10 feet  in diameter were reduced to a few feet tall and certain to die within the first 10 years from the fungus, which attacks the bark and girdle the tree causing it to die, usually within a year of being infected.  Sadly there has been no way to kill the fungus.

The importance of the American Chestnut is often over shadowed by it's benefits to humans but it's importance in the forest should be looked at as well.  They are a fast growing tree, able to bear fruit (nuts) in the first 3 to 7 years, and they continue to do so consistently, unlike its sister, the Oak which will not bear fruit for at least 10 years and they do so inconsistently, making them an unreliable food source for wildlife, and commercial harvest.  The tree is a biomass master.  It contains more nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium in its leaves when compared to other trees that share its habitat. This means they return more nutrient to the soil which helps with the growth of other plants, animals, and microorganisms

Despite its decimation as a lumber and nut-crop species, the American chestnut has not gone extinct. The species has survived by sending up stump sprouts that grow vigorously in logged or otherwise disturbed sites, but inevitably succumb to the blight and die back to the ground. The most recent USDA Forest Service survey for New York State indicates that there may be as many as 60 million of these sprout clumps in New York State, a rich gene pool for starting a restoration effort.

In the early 80's the USFS, USDA, and the State University of NY College of Environmental Science and Forestry quietly began working on making the American Chestnut something more that the scrub shrub it had been reduced to and as of today there are more than 10 other organization working to return the American Chestnut to it's place as the King of Tree's.

How is that happening?  Through genetic modification of the American Chestnut.  Currently all test stocks (none have been planted outside of test areas) they consist of 1-2% Chinese Chestnut DNA to the 98-99% American Chestnut DNA, all of this is through what make many cringe, GMO processing techniques, backcrossing as it is commonly called.  By backcrossing the American chestnut with Asian chestnuts (which are naturally immune to the blight), the goal is to create an American chestnut that is blight-resistant but almost completely American, with all the strong qualities of the majestic trees of a century ago.  Some might argue that backcrossing is not creating a GMO, but in literal term it is and backcrossing is a processes farmers and gardeners alike have used for ever.  Officially it is estimated that professionally backcrossing started  about 1918.

So hopefully within the next 5 years we will see the first reintorduction of Blight resistant American Chestnut, but it may not be in our life time that we will ever seen the forest filled again with the King of America, the American Chestnut.

Mosquitoes and rain barrels

So if you are like me you have a 5 gallon pail, 30 gal barrel or a 55 gal barrel collection rain water to tend to the garden or even your lawn.  And with the rain we have had in the past two weeks in the Capital District, it only takes a short time to fill them up if the are attached to a gutter.  It also takes even less time for mosquitoes to turn around and create a filled drum of larva.

Not something we want to see, or have.  So what to do to keep those pest at bay?

If you are attached to your gutter system to collect rain water, you will first need to make sure the gutters are properly pitched to prevent standing water to build up in your gutters.  It takes only a tablespoon of water for a mosquito to make it a breeding ground, then when it rains those little larva now are washed into the collection system.

There is also a school of thought, and I will cover that now so that we can get on to some other solutions and that is to add bleach to the barrels.  The problem with that is that there is a fine line to sterilizing the water with bleach and making it a dangerous water mixture that will kill your plants and bacteria in the soil.  With chlorine bleach there is a safe amount to use to make water safe to drink and if you use to much it could make you very ill or even cause death.  You also need several hundred gallons of water to measure correctly.  That being said you also need to let the water be exposed for 24 to 48 hours to UV lighting to "burn off" the chlorine.  If you mixture is wrong...it could still be dangerous for the soil and plants or if the exposure and mix were off the mosquitoes will be right back there.  A tough catch 22 so we advise to makes sure any product you use does not contain any chlorine bleach...period.

So here are some ways to curb mosquitoes in your rain barrels:

1. Put a goldfish or two in the barrel. I especially like this one because of the happy little ecological world it creates. The fish eat the mosquito larvae and then poop out beneficial elements (mainly, nitrogen) for your garden. Things to remember: leave enough of an opening so that the fish can receive oxygen from the surface, and take the poor guys out before the first frost!

2. A thin layer of vegetable oil on the surface of the water can prevent mosquito larvae from clinging to the surface, which is how they breathe. The oil slick will also serve as a barrier for insects to enter the water. Do not use this method with goldfish because it blocks the availability of oxygen also remember that if your barrel over fills, the oil will run off.  This method is best if you do not use your barrel water regularly and it may sit for a few days before the the next rain.

3. Filters - cover the intake with a piece of old nylons or netting. You will need to clear out the filter regularly and ensure that there are no holes for insects to pass through.  This would also include adding a screen or old sheet cover to your rain barrel.

4. Barley Mosquito Dunks - read the labels carefully, not all dunks are chemical free and I can not promote a specific manufacturer.  I am still searching for a How to, so you can make your own but one I do have requires a cup a just harvested barely, the whole plant, minus the roots, lightly shredded and place in a stocking or cheese cloth, tied up and thrown in to the rain barrel.  As it breaks down in the water, Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) is released, this is toxic to the larvae but safe for everyone else.

Love to hear your suggestions as well.

How to grow your own tomatoes

Modern Farmer is one of my favorite publications and it is produced and written locally right down in Hudson, NY.  I wanted to capture a 3 part series on growing tomatoes because lets face it, nearly all of us grow them.  This series will help you make your tomatoes a little more successful.  Be sure to follow Modern Farmer or possibly subscribing to their periodical.

Tomatoes, according the National Gardening Association, are the most popular vegetable among backyard gardeners. Their 2014 survey found that 1 in 3 American households have a vegetable garden and that nearly 9 in 10 of those gardens include tomatoes.


Part 1: Starting Seeds Indoors

Growing tomatoes from seed isn’t hard, but there are a few things to be aware of. As with all things agrarian, timing, genetics and environment have to be in alignment to reap the rewards of your efforts.


Part 2: Transplanting

To help them along, there are two things you need to do before you transplant your seedlings: Prepare the soil and something gardeners call hardening off.

Part 3: Staking, Training and Pruning

Tomato beds have an unfair reputation as the messiest, ugliest, most disease-ridden parts of a vegetable garden. To keep them from devolving to this sorry state, tomato plants need your care and support.

How to Plan an Orchard, or at least get started....

There are few things finer in life than going out of your house on a summer’s morning – perhaps holding your child by their hand – to pick the fruit you will eat with your breakfast. Plucking a ripe pear or a crisp apple from the branch, savoring its aroma and looking forward to the fresh, deep taste that comes from cultivating crops in harmony with nature is a wondrous thing.

Most permaculture gardeners with sufficient space will include at least one fruit tree in their garden design. It can provide a focal point in a small suburban plot, or even, if a dwarf variety, add variety to a courtyard garden. Fruit trees are typically the centerpieces of the common permaculture planting technique of guilds, and they bring a lot of benefits to any site, from shade to protect plants and deep roots to improve the soil structure, to attracting birds to the garden and, of course, providing a crop for eating.

For those with more space, an orchard can be a very attractive option. Indeed, orchards are arguably the most likely legacy of your permaculture garden, as with a little care and attention, they will provide fruit for years to come. While the specific attributes of your site and local climate will ultimately influence your choice of fruit trees and the location of your orchard, there are some general guidelines to consider when planning an orchard on your permaculture plot.

Site
Orchards are typically a design feature for Zone 2 of your permaculture plot.

Requiring less attention than the vegetables, herbs and fruits in Zone 1, they will still benefit from attention every few days – to check for any potential pest problems or to see if wildlife has been able to access the orchard, for example. You will visit more often when the crop is ready for harvest, and if you allow livestock such as pigs to forage in the orchard, you will want to check on them every day to ensure their needs are being met. However, once established, orchards need very little actual maintenance; with the correct planting when instituting your orchard, it should pretty much take care of itself.

Orchards need a lot of direct sunlight for the trees to grow robustly and to provide abundant, healthy crops – ideally six to eight hours a day. Be aware of any larger trees – or trees that will potentially grow large in the future – that are adjacent to your orchard, either on your plot or your neighbor’s land. These trees may shade out your fruit trees, and compete with them for soil nutrients. However, fruit trees are also susceptible to damage from string winds, so you might want to consider planting trees to act as a windbreak, as long as they won’t shade out the fruit trees.

They also need well-drained soil. A slight slope can be particularly apt as it allows water to drain slowly and avoids the risk of soil erosion. If planting on flat land, make sure the soil is humus-rich by adding lots of organic material, and not too high in clay.

Choose Trees
The two primary things to consider when choosing fruit trees for your orchard are which are suited to your location, and what fruit you like to eat. However, most fruit trees will flourish in most situations given enough sunlight and a well-drained soil. It is worth bearing in mind that some fruit trees – such as Golden Delicious apples, Bartlett pears and most varieties of peach – self-pollinate, meaning you can have just a single specimen in the orchard and it will still set fruit. Others require at least two individual trees in order to cross-pollinate and set fruit. If neighbors have trees of the fruit you want to grow on their property, you may well get pollination that way, but having at least two on your plot is the best guarantee. For these species, plant the specimens next to each other to assist with pollination (and to make harvesting easier).

Soil
Preparing the soil before you plant your orchard is a very good investment to make. It is much harder to adjust the soil once the trees are in the ground. Add lost of organic material to the soil and water it in well. Not only will this help with drainage and nutrient supply, it should get the soil pH to around the desired level. Most fruit species prefer a soil pH of between 6.5 and 7. If your soil is still too alkaline, add some composted animal manure or compost with coffee ground in it, while if the soil is too acidic, consider adding some organic agricultural lime.

Spacing
Consider the space that your fruit trees will need when fully grown. You want them to be close to each other but not so close that their plan an orchard canopies intermingle, as this can affect growth and crop productivity. Individual species will requires distinct spacing, but as a general rule you want to allow a 10-foot circle around a dwarf fruit tree, and a 25-foot circle around a standard-sized tree. If possible orientate your trees north to south so they get maximum exposure to the sun.

Companions
Allowing sufficient space for your fruit trees also gives you room to plant companion plants around each tree in a guild that will benefit both the fruit tree and the companion plants. For instance, the tree can give shade to lower-lying legumes that fix nitrogen in the soil that the tree accesses. Different fruit species favor different companions, but an apple tree guild, for example, could contain dill and fennel that attract pollinating insects, as well artichokes, whose roots help keep the soil in good condition, and nasturtiums to repel pest insects. It is worth considering that most fruit tree species do not do well if surrounded by grass, as the grass competes with the tree roots for soil nutrients and moisture. Plant companions that suppress grass growth, such as leeks, garlic or daffodils. You can also mulch around the tree – although always leave a space around the trunk.

Cold Hardy Fruit Trees for Gardening in Zones 3-7

The hardiest fruit trees are Apples, Pears, and Plums which survive Zone 3 temperatures (-30 degrees to -40 degrees Fahrenheit). In Zone 4, many varieties of berries, Plums, Persimmons, Cherries, and Apricots do very well. In Zone 5 there are more options such as Peaches, Mulberries, and Paw paws. These zones receive temperatures as low as 20 or 30 degrees below. Fortunately I can grow more types of fruit in my gardening zone 6 and 7. Zone 6 receives temperatures of 0 degrees through -10 degrees F during the Winter while Zone 7 receives temperatures of 10 degrees through 0 degrees F.

Because I have listed below Fruits I can grow for my area, you may want to investigate each fruit for your area. For example the Paw paw fruit is adapted for Zones 5-9, so if you live in Zone 3 or 4, you may not be able to grow the Tree in a permanent location, but you may be able to grow Fruit trees in a large pot. Some of you in Rental homes, apartments, or Urban situations, can grow Fruit trees in containers. Last week I posted several pictures and list a exotic Fruit trees which can grow in large pots instead of in a permanent location. Go to Grow Veggies & Fruit trees in Containers for the details.

Apples are the most common Fruit trees I see growing in my community. Because Apples are one of the most hardy fruits, I highly recommend everyone in a colder climate to grow an Apple Orchard if you cannot grow any other Fruit trees.
 I did not want to focus on the most common Fruits, however. In this post I wanted to present a list of  unique or uncommon Cold hardy fruit trees which can be grown from Gardening Zones 3-7:

Chinese Jujube 
Ziziphus jujuba 

"Jujube grows throughout most of the southern half of North America. For best crops, the tree needs a long growing season and hot and dry weather during ripening. About the only parts of the United States where jujube can't grow are in the North (USDA Zones 5 and colder) and the Gulf Coast where summer rain and humidity prevent optimum fruiting...average winter minimum temperatures between -5° F (zone 6) and -15° F (zone 5) are the likely hardiness limits, trees have survived -25° F" (NGA.) From what I have seen, the Jujube fruit looks like a small apple, then once it has dried on the tree, it simulates a Date fruit.  They are absolutely sweet and crunchy.


Ice Cream Banana 
Musa acuminata × balbisiana 'Blue Java'
Ice Cream (Blue Java) Banana is a cold tolerant banana plant with texture and flavor similar to vanilla ice cream. This banana tree has beautiful large leaves and produces medium bunches of silvery blue bananas that are very delicious fresh or cooked. Mature banana tree reach 12 to 15 feet in height. The leaves are a silver-green color. The fruit peel appears blue-green in color. Many rate this banana the best tasting, which is fortunate considering it can withstand Zone 6 temperatures. Most gardeners recommend covering the entire plant in leaf material and mulch to "winterize" the plant. Even most Zone 6-7 gardeners wrap their banana tree with other protection like bubble wrap, blankets, and tarpaulin. In the photo below, a Musa basjoo banana tree is protected with straw and wire mesh to guard against cold temperatures.


Paw-Paw Tree
Asimina triloba
With huge leaves that look more at home in the jungle, the Paw Paw is actually an "Eastern U.S. native, hardy to -25° F! A forest understory tree quite happy in shade, it also tolerates full sun. The fruits, weighing up to a pound each, are rich, sweet, and custard-like, with hints of banana and vanilla. 15 to 30 feet tall. Plant at least two for pollination. Very Cold-Hardy. Rediscover this neglected American classic! Zones 4-9".


Hardy Chicago Fig  
Ficus carica 
 Also known as 'Bensonhurst Purple' whose origins are from Sicily, this tree can take sub-freezing temperatures, die back to the ground in the winter, and then re-sprout in the spring and bear Fall fruit on new growth. It is quite suitable for growing in a pot or a greenhouse. "The secret to winter survival is to keep it reasonably dry and above 10°F for the stem or -25°F for the roots. Of course, a fig grown in this manner will take on a shrub-like form rather than a standard tree-form. If a tree shape is desired it would be best to pot it up and sink the container into the ground, then dig it up in late Fall and store it in a garage; 40°F would be ideal, but above 25°F is sufficient  Alternatively, the tree could be taken inside and treated as a house plant" (ManchesterGardenClub).
Other varieties of Figs, such as Celeste and Brown Turkey fig trees are also cold tolerant, withstanding Zone 5 temperatures. Remember to wrap Fig trees the first few Winters with cloth and plastic and/or heavily mulching with leaves.


Cold Hardy Kiwi
Actinidia arguta
The hardy kiwifruit is native to northeastern Asia, tolerating temperatures as low as -25°F. In the eastern United States, the commercial kiwifruit grows only as far north as Maryland, and they are sensitive to late spring frosts. The small fruit is smooth skinned unlike commercial kiwis with fuzzy skin. "Purchase at least one male plant for every nine female plants to ensure pollination and fruit set. Avoid planting in frost pockets. Sites with northern exposure are good because they delay early growth in spring, which can be damaged by late frosts. Construct a trellis system or otherwise support vines...Kiwifruit will not reach maturity and flower until about their fifth year." (Cornell University).



Che 
Cudrania Tricuspidata
The Che is related to the Mulberry, but the Che fruit looks identical to the Lychee fruit, resembling a brain. The Che is Native to many parts of eastern Asia from the Shantung and Kiangson Provinces of China to the Nepalese sub-Himalayas. It became naturalized in Japan many years ago, and later was introduced into England and other parts of Europe around 1872, and in 1930 was introduced to the U.S.
"The Che requires minimal care and has a tolerance of drought and poor soils similar to that of the related mulberry. It can be grown in most parts of California and other parts of the country, withstanding temperatures of -20° F...They perform best in a warm, well-drained soil, ideally a deep loam" (California Rare Fruit Growers).


Passion Fruit (Maypop)
Passiflora incarnata
This hardy perennial plant thrives in climates of -25 degrees F. The plant can be grown in Zones 5-11.
Ideal for containers in any climate and very easy in the garden, Maypop reaches 8 to 12 feet long. It will die back completely to the ground in winter and not reappear until late spring. The fruit appears egg-shaped and the flavor will remind you of Passionfruit, while the aroma is musky. The leaves are 5 to 6 inches wide and up to 8 inches long.



Gooseberry
Ribes uva-crispa
"Indigenous to many parts of Europe and western Asia, growing naturally in alpine thickets and rocky woods in the lower country, from France eastward, well into the Himalayas and peninsular India" (Gooseberry). Gooseberries grow best in summer humid, cool regions with great winter chilling. Gooseberries are deciduous shrubs, fast growing, and reaches 3 feet tall and 6 feet wide. Gooseberries look like veiny Grapes, usually red or green in color.



Quince
Cydonia oblonga
"The fruit is much more common through South America, Europe and the Middle East than it is in North America. You can grow quince between zones 4 and 9, as they can tolerate freezing temperatures during the winters as long as the flowers aren’t hit with a late hard frost. Quince fruit is very tart and sour even when mature..." (Backyard Gardening). Since quince have naturally shallow roots, they may survive in large containers, and may also grow like a bush rather than a tree. They take three years to begin producing fruit.

Goumi
Elaeagnus multiflora
Native to the Far East, this shrub reaches 4 to 6 foot tall. Self-fertile, not bothered by pests or diseases, tolerates a wide range of soils, and fixes nitrogen in the soil. Goumi plants have silvery leaves underside. They begin producing fruit in two to three years, with fragrant creamy-white flowers in May followed by tasty and aromatic red fruits. Looks like a Goji Berry fruit, but with hints of cherries, apples and black currant flavor. Grows well in USDA gardening Zones 4-9.


Currants
Ribes
"Red, pink and white currants belong to three European species (Ribes rubrum, R. petraeum, R. sativum). Black currants are related to European (R. nigrum) and Asian (R. ussuriense) species.
Other Related Species are the Gooseberry (Ribes grossularia, R. hirtellum), Buffalo Currant (R. aureum), Jostaberry (R. nigrum X hirtellum). Currants grow best in summer humid, cool regions with great winter chilling. They are best adapted to USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 5...Bushes grown from seed bear when two or three years old" (CRFG).


Cranberry
Vaccinium macrocarpon
Cranberries are low, creeping shrubs or vines up to 7 ft long and 2 to 8 in in height. They "have slender, wiry stems that are not thickly woody and have small evergreen leaves. The flowers are dark pink, with very distinct reflexed petals, leaving the style and stamens fully exposed and pointing forward. They are pollinated by bees" (Cranberry). The berry is initially white, turning into a deep red when fully ripe. Has an acidic taste that can overwhelm its sweetness. Cranberries require an adequate fresh water supply, and a growing season that extends from April to November. They "grow on low-lying vines in beds layered with sand, peat, gravel and clay. These beds are commonly known as bogs or marshes and were originally created by glacial deposits...Cranberries are grown through the northern part of the United States. The major production areas are New Jersey, Massachusetts, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin and the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Quebec. Other regions grow cranberries as well, to varying extent, and these include Delaware, Maine, Michigan" (CCCGA).


Elderberry
Sambucus canadensis
The American elderberry is a common plant that takes little effort to forage. It is not a rare plant, in fact I consider this plant to be a weed, considering I have identified them on the sides of roads, in the woods, and in yards. Elderberries grow all over North America, so you will not have problems finding/growing this plant. Elderberries fruit best when you plant at least two different varieties. They start producing the first year of transplant but will take 2 to 3 years to produce fruit from seed. When I have harvested elderberries, I found them to be sour in taste; but if that is your thing, there are several varieties of the American elderberry that are good fruit producers, like the Adams, Black beauty, Black Lace, Johns, Nova, Variegated, and York (NGA). Some would say the Poke plant bears fruit similar to the Elderberry, as well as the plant Devil's Walking Stick.


Mulberry
Morus
"Morus alba, white mulberry, and M. nigra, black mulberry, are native to China. Morus rubra, red mulberry, is a North American species, ranging from the mid-Atlantic to Florida and west to Nebraska and Texas. Morus nigra is cultivated throughout Europe for its large, sweet-tart fruit. Morus alba is the hardiest, surviving –25F. and colder, though its fruit quality varies greatly.
The genus name Morus is derived from the Latin ‘mora,’ which means ‘delay,’ and refers to the late leafing habit of the mulberry...This delay ensures that its fruit buds appear well after danger of frost has passed...Mulberries are 30- to 50-foot, fast growing, long-lived deciduous trees with alternate, simple, lobed to undivided leaves. Leaves on one tree can be lobed and [un-lobed]. Though both monoecious (male and female flowers on one plant) and dioecious (male and female flowers on separate plants), many trees are self-pollinating. Trees are also known to change sex. The tree flowers inconspicuously in late spring on the current season’s wood and on spurs of old wood...Fruits, which ripen in midsummer, are small fleshy drupes, resembling a tightly beaded blackberry. Fruit color ranges from white to lavender to red and purplish-black. Some mulberries are seeded, though I have known over two dozen trees and never met a seed. The flavor is mild and very sweet, but M. alba is said to lack the perfect blend of sweetness and tartness of M. nigra. I have tasted only M. alba and love it. If I need the tartness for any reason, I mix in some under-ripe fruits. As I noted before, beware: The dark fruit stains badly" (MOFGA).


Chokeberry 
Aronia melanocarpa
This shrub can be planted in Zones 3-8., and usually grows to 3-6' tall and wide, though it can be up to 10' in width.You can plant the black chokeberry in either full sun or partial shade...Black chokeberry has dark green leaves that are 1-3" long and lanceolate or elliptical in shape. In the fall they change to reddish hues, similar looking to the Blueberry bush. "The white flowers appear during springtime and come in clusters called corymbs. The fruit produced is a small black pome that has tannins which pack pucker power" (Myers).

Jostaberry
Ribes × nidigrolaria
"Jostaberries are hybrids of black currant and the American gooseberry, R. hirtellum, produced in Germany, 1930s-50s... The bush is very tall, thorn-less, tends not to branch and requires the space of 2 currant bushes. The foliage is glossy, larger than gooseberry, lobed, scentless and resists mildew. It survives full sunlight but requires much winter chilling. The lateral buds usually shed, leaving blind branches. Purple or brownish-red fruit are borne on lax, few-berried strigs. They are the size of small gooseberry and lacking in flavor, suitable only for experimentation. Buffalo currant produces comparable fruit more abundantly in less space and is recommended instead" (CRFG).

Saskatoon (Serviceberry)
Amelanchier alnifolia
"Native to North America from Alaska across most of western Canada and in the western and north-central United States. Historically, it was also called "pigeon berry". It grows from sea level in the north of the range, up to 2,600 m (8,530 ft) elevation in California and 3,400 m (11,200 ft) in the Rocky Mountains...Saskatoons are adaptable to most soil types with exception of poorly drained or heavy clay soils lacking organic matter. Shallow soils should be avoided, especially if the water table is high or erratic. Winter hardiness is exceptional, but frost can damage blooms as late as May. Large amounts of sunshine are needed for fruit ripening. With a sweet, nutty taste, the fruits have long been eaten by Canada's aboriginal people, fresh or dried" (Amelanchier alnifolia).

Sea Buckthorn (Seaberry)
Hippophae rhamnoides
 "The plant is a thorny shrub that can survive the harshest weather conditions.  As it turns out the Prairies are an ideal habitat for Sea Buckthorn...Sea Buckthorn has an extensive rooting system and a nitrogen fixation property. Seabuckthorn has been planted to rejuvenate marginal land and soil conservation" (Solberry Seabuckthorn). Sea Buckthorn is an "incredibly important natural resources in the mountainous regions of China and Russia, and the Canadian prairies. The plant will grow naturally in both sandy, and clay soils. In fact the plant will thrive in nearly any soil type, but it is extremely intolerant of shady planting sites. The shrubs themselves are also very cold-hardy. The plants can withstand winter temperatures of up to -40 degrees Celsius (-43 degress F). It is also commonly found growing at high altitudes of 4000 to 14000 feet" (Sea buckthorn insider).


Russian Pomegrante
Punica granatum
Pomegranates prefer semi-arid and mild temperate climate with cool winters/hot summers. It can grow in the sunniest part of the yard with well drained sandy soil as well as rock gravel. The plants can take considerable drought but must be irrigated for fruit production. Pomegranates develop into round bushy small trees 6 to 8 feet tall except dwarf varieties ranging from 3 to 7 feet. In warmer climates with longer growing seasons will have larger bushes (up to 15 feet tall)" (Edible Landscaping). Pomegranates are self pollinating, but it's encouraged that another pomegranate tree is present for pollination. It will take 2-3 years to start bearing fruit. The Russian Pomegranate survives USDA gardening Zones 6-10.

Lingonberry (Cowberry)
Vaccinium vitis-idaea
This shrub is native to the Arctic tundra throughout the Northern Hemisphere from Eurasia to North America. It reaches 12 to 18 inches in height. "It is extremely hardy, tolerating temperatures as low as −40 °C (−40 °F) or lower, but grows poorly where summers are hot. It prefers some shade (as from a forest canopy) and constantly moist, acidic soil. Nutrient-poor soils are tolerated but not alkaline soils" (Vaccinium vitis-idaea). Because it is so cold tolerant, the berry does not produce reliably in warmer climates like Zone 9-11. "Lingonberries are self-pollinating, but cross-pollination will produce larger fruits that ripen earlier...Bumblebees are the best natural lingonberry pollinators. Plants need two to three years to begin bearing good crops" (NGA).


The Medlar
Mespilus germanica
"Indigenous to southwest Asia and also southeastern Europe, especially the Black Sea coasts of Bulgaria and of modern Turkey. It may have been cultivated for as long as 3000 years...Requires warm summers and mild winters and prefers sunny, dry locations and slightly acidic soil. Under ideal circumstances, the deciduous plant grows up to 8 metres (26 ft) tall" (Mespilus germanica). Generally has a lifespan of 30-50 years, and is shorter and more shrub-like than tree-like.

Hawthorn berry
Crataegus 
"Native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere in Europe, Asia and North America. The name "hawthorn" was originally applied to the species native to northern Europe, especially the common hawthorn C. monogyna, and the unmodified name is often so used in Britain and Ireland. The name is now also applied to the entire genus and to the related Asian genus Rhaphiolepis...the Common Hawthorn, C. monogyna, are edible but the [flavor] has been compared to over-ripe apples...the fruits of the species Crataegus pinnatifida (Chinese hawthorn) are tart, bright red, and resemble small crabapple fruits." (Crataegus).


Silver buffaloberry
Shepherdia argentea
This thorny, deciduous shrub grows up to 20 feet tall. It is native to northern and western North America. The plant grows in USDA Zone 2, so it tolerates cold winters, drought and also tolerates infertile soil.

Thimbleberry 
Rubus parviflorus
 "Native to western and northern North America, and the Great Lakes region...Thimbleberry fruits are larger, flatter, and softer than raspberries" (Rubus parviflorus). The plant reaches up to 10 feet tall and blooms white petals. The leads grow to 10 inches long, fuzzy, deciduous maple-like shape. The plant needs Full sun to shade with moist to dry, humus rich soil. "Thimbleberries do not grow well on sandy or gravelly soils, but in the Northwest, a small percentage grow in wet soils" (Rainy side Gardeners).




This list of Fruit bushes and trees are a fraction of what is possible to grow in cold climates. As plant species continue to cross-pollinate, there will be that much more fruit to grow. Of course there are many more varieties of Berries and Currants that grow in cold climates, For example, Sourberry (Rhus trilobata), Wax Currant (ribes cereum), American silverberry (elaeagnus commutata), Creeping barberry (mahonia repen), honeyberry, boysenberry, huckleberry, dewberry, tayberry, youngberry, and Marionberry.

Do not limit yourself to fruit bushes and common cold hardy fruits. From GardenWeb.com, one gardener said he was growing a Papaya tree in Zone 5/6a, which he grows in a container outside during the Summer, and he brings the Papaya tree inside during the Winter next to a South facing window. I was very shocked that he even posted pictures of his Papaya harvest. Click the link for details and pictures of the Papaya growing in a cold climate: Fruiting Papaya in Zone 5/6.

Northern gardeners grow sub tropical fruits like Limes, Lemons, Mandarin oranges, as well as tropical pineapple and Mangoes in containers. When growing Fruit plants in containers, you will be able to relocate the fruit inside your home or in a greenhouse where it will be protected over winter. I have a post on Growing Fruit in Containers: Grow Veggies & Fruit trees in Containers (Limited Space & Urban gardening.

If Papaya can be grown in a container or in a greenhouse, I believe Feijoa, Surinam Cherry, Pineapple Guava, Cold Hardy Avocado, Cavendish Banana, Dragon fruit, and Loquats can be grown in cold to mild climates such as Zone 4-7. Growing many of the varieties of Tropical fruit trees can be achieved through Underground Greenhouses, growing in containers indoors, compost heating/Hugelkultur methods, artificial lighting/heating.