How one tree grows 40 different kinds of fruit | Sam Van Aken

TL;DR

In a world threatened by the loss of fruit varieties due to industrialization and climate change, artist Sam Van Aken's project, "The Tree of 40 Fruit," aims to preserve and celebrate the cultural and agricultural significance of heirloom fruit varieties.

Transcript

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Key Insights

• 🍑 Over time, the number of fruit varieties in the United States has significantly decreased, putting many unique and culturally significant varieties at risk of extinction due to industrialization, disease, and climate change.
• 🌳 The "Tree of 40 Fruit" is a piece of art created by grafting 40 different varieties of stone fruit onto a single tree, showcasing the diversity and beauty of different fruit types.
• 🌱 Grafting is a common method for propagating fruit trees since the seed of a fruit tree is a genetic variant. It allows for the preservation and propagation of preferred varieties over generations.
• 🌍 The artist behind the "Tree of 40 Fruit" has been using the project to preserve heirloom and rare fruit varieties, including collecting cuttings, creating herbarium specimens, and sequencing DNA.
• 🍒 The "Tree of 40 Fruit" project has gained popularity and recognition both within and outside the art world, with requests to use the tree in religious services and even receiving an invitation from the Department of Defense to discuss innovation and food security.
• 🌳 The artist has expanded the project by creating the "Open Orchard" on Governors Island in New York City, which aims to reintroduce 200 heirloom and antique fruit varieties that haven't been grown in the area for over a century.
• 🌾 The "Open Orchard" seeks to engage the public in conservation efforts by offering workshops, programming, and a cookbook to educate people about fruit cultivation, preservation, and the stories behind different varieties.
• 🌿 The project aims to reconnect people with their food and encourage them to consider the future of food security by preserving biodiversity and valuing the cultural and historical significance of different fruit varieties.

Questions & Answers

Q: How many different varieties of peaches, plums, and apples existed in the United States 100 years ago?

100 years ago, there were 2,000 varieties of peaches, nearly 2,000 different varieties of plums, and almost 800 named varieties of apples growing in the United States.

Q: What threatens the remaining varieties of fruit trees in the United States?

The remaining fruit tree varieties in the United States are threatened by industrialization of agriculture, disease, and climate change.

Q: What are some examples of fruit varieties that are threatened but hold cultural significance?

Some examples of threatened fruit varieties with cultural significance include the Blood Cling red-flesh peach brought by Spanish missionaries to the Americas, apricots brought by Chinese immigrants working on the Transcontinental Railroad, and plum varieties brought by Italian, French, and German immigrants.

Q: How did the speaker create the "Tree of 40 Fruit"?

The speaker created the "Tree of 40 Fruit" through the process of grafting. They collected cuttings in winter, stored them, and then grafted them onto the ends of branches in spring. This allowed them to grow 40 different varieties of stone fruit on a single tree.

Q: Why did the speaker choose the number 40 for the Tree of 40 Fruit?

The speaker chose the number 40 for the Tree of 40 Fruit because it represents a bounty or a multitude throughout Western religion. It symbolizes abundance and surpasses the quantifiable dozen or infinite.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• 100 years ago, there were thousands of different varieties of peaches, plums, and apples in the United States, but today only a fraction of those remain due to industrialization, disease, and climate change.

• The Tree of 40 Fruit is an artwork created through grafting that grows 40 different varieties of stone fruit on a single tree, showcasing the cultural history of these fruits.

• The Open Orchard project aims to bring back heirloom and antique fruit varieties that haven't been grown in New York for over a century, creating a living gene bank and inviting people to participate in conservation and learn about their food.