- California Rare Fruit Growers Association
The California Rare Fruit Growers Association (CRFG) is an organization of rare exotic fruit enthusiasts,
hobbyist s andamateur horticulturists based in California. The CRFG, founded in 1968, promotes rare fruits in theSouthern California marketplace, according to a 1997 article in the "Seasonal Chef" online newsletter. cite news |first=Valerie J.|last=Nelson|title=Paul Thomson - California grower of exotic tropical fruits
url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/06/15/MNGV119I76.DTL|work=Los Angeles Times |publisher=San Francisco Chronicle |date=2008-06-16 |accessdate=2008-08-07] As of 2008 the CRFG has 3,000 members in approximately 35 countries and is said to be the largest amateur fruit-growing organization in the world. cite news |first=|last=|title= California Rare Fruit Growers front page|url=http://www.crfg.org/ |work=California Rare Fruit Growers |publisher=|date= |accessdate=2008-08-02]The California Rare Fruit Growers was co-founded by Paul Thomson and John Riley in 1968. Thomson was a self-taught botanist and fruit farmer based in San Diego's North County, while Riley was an
engineer withLockheed fromSanta Clara, California . Both Thomson and Riley shared an enthusiasm for rare fruits and plants which had not been previously widely cultivated inCalifornia . Riley and Thomson soon began collaborating to publish a newsletter on tropical and subtropical fruits cite news |first=Blanca|last=Gonzalez|title=Paul Thomson; exotic-fruit grower, former Marine; 91
url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20080610/news_1m10thomson.html|work=San Diego Union-Trbune |publisher=|date=2008-06-10 |accessdate=2008-08-02] using amimeograph machine . In 1968 they expanded operations to found the CRFG. Membership was swelled by a rapid influx of newcomers to California who were "without prejudice to what could not be grown" in the state.In 2008 the CRFG was still publishing a bimonthly magazine entitled "The Fruit Gardener", an outgrowth of the early newsletters published by Thomson and Riley.
References
External links
* [http://www.crfg.org California Rare Fruit Growers]
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