Hey, John!  Barring something apocalyptic, my wife and I are planning to be there and really looking forward to it, as usual!  Difficult as it can be for some of us, I've kept my list of potential acquisitions as brief as possible.

Following-up on my earlier posting of "Who's in charge of organizing the collecting for the Fruit Propagation Fair?," I applaud all the individuals who so generously contribute scionwood and cuttings to this great annual HOS event.  Once my own plants become better-established, I too hope to contribute scions.  Organizations like this always need the presence of someone like Joanie Cooper who has the drive, the vision, the enthusiasm, the competence, and the organizational skills to make it a success.  I doff my cap in true admiration to her and to all other members who contribute in their own ways!

I should -- I think -- just remind contributors to treat their material with an appropriate clorox solution dip, followed by a good rinse, in order to pass along healthier offerings.  Two or 3 years ago I discovered a grape pest that I was totally unfamiliar with from an acquired cutting that I rooted.  Fortunately, despite being adjacent to other potted grape cuttings, it affected only the one variety, so that I was able to destroy it without losing any others.  As amateur fruit growers it's important that we do not contribute to the spread of any pests or diseases.

Also, in more recent years of the Fruit Propagation Fair, I've noticed that some scion contributors have pre-labeled their individual scions, which is a great time-saver.  Besides a recipient not having to make their own masking-tape label for the scion, it also helps to prevent mix-ups when a more casual person takes a scion, ponders it, decides to forgo it, and then puts it back in the wrong place.  It can be 3 or more years before someone who took home a scion [in good faith] discovers that it was mis-labeled.  ....Just little simple things to keep in mind.  "We're all in this together."

Tim

Nice photos, Daniel!  I always forget to take my camera places (--no "smart phone").

I was amazed at the number of apples on my abbreviated "acquire" list that were represented, and at times I had to wrestle with myself to pass up some of the varieties that I considered lower priority for now.  I wasn't going to get any European pears this year but, after I spotted 'Dana's Hovey', I had to at least grab that one.  It's one that had lingered in my mind from an earlier HOS fruit-tasting.

Well, show's over.  Let the grafting begin! 

Tim

P.S. -- Managed to get 'Hey Jack!'  Thanks davem!