From the NAFEX Ibiblio list.


Nick has apparently decided to quit. His property, with trees, beasts, and beautiful house is
advertised for sale. This raises a significant question, which harkens back to a posting I
made a week or two ago: what is going to happen to his collection, which is billed as "the
largest private collection in the Milky way". He has something in the order of 4000 cultivars.
Compare this with the Geneva repository, who apparently have about 1500. That is, there
are about 2500 cultivars in Nick's orchard that do not even exist in the official government
germplasm repository. With luck somebody will buy Nick's place who will maintain the
collection. But there is a real risk that some rich developer or something could buy it and
bulldoze the whole thing, with the loss of all this material.

It would be interesting to see even a partial list of the more
interesting varieties Nick has.

Someone should approach whatever State he lives in for interest in
making it a state park. Also,
a nearby university may want to take it over.

http://www.slant.com/orchard/Botner-2010.PDF

This is purported to be a link to his 2010 scion list. I don't know how inclusive it is of what he grows.

It might be worth contacting the Church to see if the farm could be a Monastery. The Brothers would care for such a collection. I know a monastery on the site of an old farm and the Brothers have maintained some wonderful old trees on the place.

Nick lives near Yoncalla, OR.

The Home Orchard Society has started grafting to try to save some of the varieties, but it is an enormous task. It's hard to tell for how many years Nick will continue to sell scions while his farm is for sale.

I agree Lon. The best scenario is someone buys it and continues to operate the business.
John S
PDX OR

It's not clear to me, but maybe you guys know. Does he in fact run it as a for profit business, or is it his hobby and he sells some stuff to cover some of the expenses.

It seems awefully difficult to turn a profit selling scions and perhaps fruit, when every plant is a different variety. Just the prospect of trying to keep everything healthy, let alone planning and harvesting, selling, and adding to collection and such, is overwhelming to me.

Hey Jafar,
I think it's the latter. One would have to have another job.

So have I heard.
John S
PDX OR

Thanks John, that's what I was guessing.

BTW, heres an easier to use list of Nick's apples and pears.

http://www.wagonwheelorchard.blogspot.com/

The asking price is 1.75 mil.

Thats a whole lotta change for some apple scions!

They should check their bank balances after all the scandal payments have been made.

Just sayin.