The Foraged Fruit Project began in 2021 and involves researchers from Cornell and Rutgers Universities, with support from the New York Cider Association and funding from the David M. Einhorn Center for Community Engagement. The aim of this project was to better understand the practice of foraging in New York through a transdisciplinary lens, which includes ethnographic interviews, genetic identification of apple trees, and fruit quality assessments of the foraged apples. Over 30 commercial cider producers were interviewed for this study and we analyzed fruit samples from nearly 50 different trees. Seventy-eight percent of the submitted samples were unique apple genotypes, meaning there was no match among the thousands of samples in the MyFruitTree reference panel managed by Washington State University. According to the Long Ashton Research Station’s cider apple classification, 45% of the apple samples were bittersharp, 14% were bittersweet, 35% were sharp, and 6% were sweet. Based on these data, New York cider producers are largely foraging for high tannin and high acid apples which are difficult to procure from commercial apple producers in the region. Common themes revealed through the ethnographic interviews related to climate change resiliency, reparation for indigenous groups, intellectual property control, discovering unique genetics, and access to public and private lands. By studying these factors, we sought to better support the practice of foraging, unlock unique apple genetics that can benefit growers in a rapidly changing climate, and increase the profitability and uniqueness of New York cider.
