I can't remember the recommended CA avocados.

[rprimbs]

About fifteen years ago I was a member of the North San Diego, California Rare Fruit Growers.  Most of the old original members were still there.

I asked one of the old members which avocado varieties tasted the best.  He recommended three, but I can only remember two -- the 'Kona Sharwil', and the 'Jan Boyce'.  I wonder if anybody might have a guess at the third?  It wasn't 'Reed', or 'Lamb Hass', or 'Queen', or any of the 'standard' varieties.  I have a 'Stewart', that I want to graft with these avocados. 

 

[Tracy]

  On 7/13/2022 at 7:09 PM, rprimbs said:

About fifteen years ago I was a member of the North San Diego, California Rare Fruit Growers.  Most of the old original members were still there.

I asked one of the old members which avocado varieties tasted the best.  He recommended three, but I can only remember two -- the 'Kona Sharwil', and the 'Jan Boyce'.  I wonder if anybody might have a guess at the third?  It wasn't 'Reed', or 'Lamb Hass', or 'Queen', or any of the 'standard' varieties.  I have a 'Stewart', that I want to graft with these avocados. 

 

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Even with the old timers that would have been a personal taste thing.  My favorites have been Reed's which were grown throughout Leucadia since way back.  My great uncle had a variety that we never got an id on that was absolutely delicious.  The tree was huge and old when I was a child, my father having grown up eating the fruit back in the 30's ... yes that long ago.  It was still producing in the 70's and my dad took the fruit to several growers and nurseries in Escondido at the time, but no one could ever id them.  They were the largest avocado's I have seen in my life even to this day.  My dad grew a few from the tree's seeds, but they were clearly something different and disappointing.

I think a lot of varieties have gotten lost over the years.  I'm sure you grew up eating Reed's since your parents were here in Encinitas.  I have plenty of friends that still had part of old Reed groves in their yards when they bought in Leucadia 30+ years ago.  When planting in my garden, I discovered the cast iron irrigation lines for my subdivision "Avocado Acres" which used to be part of a large avocado grove both before and after the lots were subdivided almost 100 years ago in the middle of the roaring 20's.

[rprimbs]

I have a Reed.  In fact I live on Reed Road, which was named after the Reed avocado.  Down below me the Frey's had a large nursery, which has now been replaced with houses. 

The big avocado that you mentioned sounds similar to a 'Queen'. 

I think I will rejoin the CRFG and see if anybody knows the avocado.  It is weird that I am now kind of an 'old timer' -- even though I am not old -- I talked with the original members and they told me everything.  They were a bunch of characters talking over each other.  It was fun, I loved it!  The new group seems much more restrained. 

[rprimbs]

I think the third avocado was possibly a "Hellen", but my memory is not good.  I am going to graft a Stewart with these if I can.  And there is a big round avocado on YouTube called a "Pumpkin Avocado" that sounds good too.