Certainly a good post with much to mull over, especially for anyone with aspirations of making some moolah from plant patenting and/or marketing. I’m not really one to dwell in the clouds with dreams of grandeur. If I were to bring something to market, it would be solely based on research/public interests rather than based on financial gains. It’s more-so side projects for me that quell my research urges from my academia past. 
My farm still remains the main source of income and anything that happens to spawn from side projects is more for science/the people.
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What do you grow / raise on your farm?
Developing and contributing new cultivars to the public is a worthy undertaking, IMO.
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Blueberries, raspberries/brambles, haskaps, Pawpaws, persimmons, mayhaw and che.
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Yummy.
Do you mind if ask approximately what part of the country you are located in?
Also, you mentioned a switch from academia to farming. Did you get an agriculture-related degree and then go into farming, or did you start out going in a different career direction and then switch to farming?
(This isn’t meant to be nosy; I’m just curious. If it’s nothing you want to share then please don’t.)
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I think you’re asking the wrong person. I am not into farming.
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Hmmm…
I thought I had hit the “Reply” button at the bottom of the post by @DeepBlueDustin and it would notify him that I had replied rather than you.
Apparently I must have hit the “Reply” button at the very bottom of the discussion thread.
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Yes you did. Common mistake 
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Well while I’m being brought up haha 
… I got my undergrad in marine biology from Millersville University in PA, then went for my masters in marine parasitology from Cal State Univ. Northridge. I did a thesis while I was there using flatfish, seeing how PCBs, heavy metals and other marine pollutants immunomodulated parasitic loads. I came out of school worked at a major fishery in California, tried to pull a power move for a higher salary (the people above me made millions while I made peanuts) that didn’t go well. Said heck with it, moved back to PA and started my farm with my family. Honestly, I wish I had skipped the in-between because the schooling really didn’t teach me much, except the process of research/acquiring knowledge. I’m happy though farming, it’s the most rewarding thing I’ve done in my life and would encourage anyone that’s not to do so even as a side income.
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I have one in a small pot. It has produced fruit and the fruit is pretty good.
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The idea of farming - of expending effort to very tangibly produce food that we and others can eat - is something that is deeply embedded into the instincts of many of us, I think. I’m glad you’re able to do it and enjoy it.
Unfortunately, there are many factors at work that make farming a difficult way to earn a living these days. Approaches such as direct-to-consumer sales are working for a number of farmers, thankfully.
It’s terrific that you are able to be a professional farmer.
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I wonder why Api Etoile is so rare? It’s been around for a long time. There is probably a reason (or two) why it’s not common.
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I think it’s rare because to most people it’s just a curiosity. It doesn’t seem to have as much flesh as a normally shaped apple. You eat it a bit differently. It’s a good tasting apple but no better than dozens of European heirlooms and not many people eat all of those either.
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I love it! Thank you for the picture!
I am going to you quickly this afternoon or been the tree, a friend asked me scionwoods of this variety. I took the opportunity to make a photo.
Snagged some up from Cliff England’s nursery. He may still have some if anyone is still looking.
I have two api star trees. They have good flavour and beautifull flowers…
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A number of the apples for sale in the UK seem to have this shape. I’m wondering if Cornish Aromatic will…as It’ll be among the slew I’m grafting this spring.
Hello,
Seems I’m a year late, but I have the impression that most (all?) people in this discussion did not realize, that you discuss two different varieties here!
- First there is the presumably quite old but not very tasty variety “Sternapi” Sternapi – Wikipedia
- and then there is the new variety “Apistar” (maybe the full name is “Apistar Sternapi” which is even more confusing…), with improved star shape and improved flavor.
https://www.artevos.de/nc/en/list-of-varieties/sorte/apistar-sternapi.html
I remember the name as Apistar.
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