Excellent write up!
We spoke at the D31. I’m next to Cliff in your third picture.
So many delicious cultivars. I especially liked D31, Saijo, H-120 and Sosnovkaya.
Cliff, Kum and Jon did a tremendous job organizing the event!
3 Likes
Did any of you who attended see or hear any details about Journey Hybrid … on Cliffs web site… it is first to ripen there (may have been finished fruiting by now)… he says it has taste of vanilla. Just wondering if there are any more details, opinions, available.
Thanks
TNHunter
2 Likes
I, personally, did not hear any mention of Journey but perhaps others may have.
1 Like
I did not hear Cliff mention Journey either.
1 Like
Post I made above #4:
Prok x Hakaido - mellow, faint taste
Prok x HKD - Mellow but orangey. I thought this cultivar was good and much better than Prok x Hakaido
@Anjeerfarmer post #13: Prok HKD: (There were 2 trees and both were loaded with Persimmons)
@OckooMicrofarm post #17: For persimmon, I’ll echo a few others – the clear winners were…[among his list] Prok x Hokkaido (Cliff’s original hybrid)…
I just realized after looking at Cliff’s list that he has quite a few Prok x Hokkaido crosses. I believe some are labeled on tags at the farm as Prok x HKD and perhaps some as Prok x Hokkaido which I didn’t pick up on until now. Persimmon from one tree I tasted was bland and the other was quite good. To me, it had something like an orange creamsicle flavor that wasn’t overly sweet (likely since it was crossed with Prok). It was sort of a single, clean orange that was foremost. To me, that’s not a bad thing. It seemed like a variety I could eat a number of at a time. It was certainly unique from others. I don’t recall if this tree was more asian or american in terms of growth. The fruit size seemed to be a bit smaller like american if I recall.
2 Likes
OckooMicrofarm posted his video:
17 Likes
Nice video of Clifford orchard.
3 Likes
Preface: I have no intention of diminishing Cliff’s accomplishments. I just question one of his claims.
As discussed in another thread, I think is it impossible that any of Cliff’s >40 reported “hybrids” of DV names (e.g., “Prok”) x the supposed PCA Kaki “Hokkaido” is an actual hybrid. Ukrainian and U.S. / Japanese breeders who created the two original DV x Kaki hybrids Rosseyanka and Mikkusu went through hell to create those crosses. They produced two named hybrids in the laboratory after decades of trying. It’s inconceivable that Cliff created >40 within a few years in his outdoor nursery. I’m not accusing him of fraud, just some honest mistake.
My question: For those who saw Prok x Hokkaido fruit, is there anything to suggest that the trees are anything other than D. Virginiana? Do you see any Kaki traits? The description by blueKYstream of a “mellow faint taste” does not seem to scream PCA Kaki.
I know that this questions makes me Mr. Max Buzzkill, but we need to be honest with ourselves.
3 Likes
Do you remember which one had dark flesh and therefore PVNA?
1 Like
@OckooMicrofarm had glowing praise for UKR 15-9 (Derevyanko unnamed hybrid). Does anyone know much about this cultivar or have they tried it?
@Anjeerfarmer What were your thoughts on David’s Kandy? I hadn’t seen too much on that one.
1 Like
I was there and tasted 15-9 with him. Wasn’t much larger than a large American, but it had a much better flavor than the other hybrids. More complexity like an american vs the other hybrids being sweet but lacking flavor. Hope that helps
Wish I had taken more photos of that tree
8 Likes
Regarding 15-9. Did cliff say if it was and early, mid, or late ripener?
1 Like
I don’t remember, but when we were there, there was still a lot of unripe fruit on the tree, id guess mid to late
3 Likes
15-9 was mid-late I think.
I’ll know more in coming years as mine puts on fruit.
4 Likes
My David’s Kandy was planted 2019, Plant came from Cliff. Last year was the first year it fruited. Fruit was not distinctively Asian or American but good enough to be a keeper. I have not tasted any other hybrids besides Kassandra so can not compare with others. It is definitely a late ripening variety as half the fruit ripened before frost (1st pic) and half after the frost (2nd pic)
One important thing to note bout the tree is its compact and symmetrical form with shiny tight green leaves. Cliff calls it Ornamental and it definitely is.
13 Likes
It seems like it might be similar to Kassandra in a lot of ways.
1 Like
Folks don’t be overly surprised by the small size fruit an average year we get 65 to 76 inches of rain and this year so far to date we have only had 44.7 inches of rain, and this includes what we had last night.
I have just about stopped being disillusioned by the weather Whether we get rain or whether we don’t as it is out of my control.
Fruit size will vary greatly depending on the moisture in the soil and this was a bad year.
Thank you all
17 Likes
Actually SE Kentucky long term average is a little under 50 inches annual rainfall.
Hitting 65 to 70 inches isn’t normal…but it’s good to get a little extra sometimes.
1 Like
Weather is local. Here the annual average is ~45 inches of rain. But over the past year, we’ve had ~58 inches. The growing season was wet. Even so, persimmon fruits from DV varieties such as H63A and Barbra’s Blush were small. And yes, Kasandra was small.
1 Like