Picking Pawpaws at Conestoga Indian Town and Pequea Creek

The largest pawpaw patch within an easy day trip of Philadelphia is just south of Lancaster between the Turkey Hill overlook and the Holtwood Recreation Area. This area also encompasses the site of several important American Indian settlements. The Susquehannocks, an Iroquoian speaking Nation, lived near Conestoga Town before being brutally exterminated by the "Paxton Boys", a group of murderous Scotch-Irishmen. The Shawnee, an Algonquian speaking Nation, also lived here and the Metis Shawnee leader and trader Pierre Chartier, famous for his attempts to ban the sale of rum to Indians and for siding against the British during the French and Indian War, once resided in the area.



The "once mighty" Susquehannock are remembered in this rusty historical plaque.



A cluster of small immature pawpaws (Asimina triloba) demonstrates the "banana-hand" growth pattern.



An overstory of nut trees and an understory of pawpaws and spicebush line the Turkey Hill Overlook Trail.

These immature pawpaws needed more time to ripen.





Mapleleaf viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium)



Smallish, seedy, rotten, but great for sowing the seeds (which I did by the dozens).



The view from the top of Turkey Hill Overlook Trail. A large landfill surrounded by barbwire fence (not pictured) lies in the opposite direction.

The Former Site of John W. Hershey's Tree Crop Nursery in Downingtown, Pa.  

 Many survivors of rare and highly important tree crops are still standing at the former site of John W. Hershey's tree crop nursery in Downingtown, Pa.



More information is available in this article on Hershey's nursery written by Small Acts in the Winter 2016 Permaculture Design Magazine



These two bur oaks frame the quaker meeting house across the street from Hershey's former nursery. These trees have enormous acorns with very low tannin content. As the head of the T.V.A.'s Tree Crop Program, Hershey scoured the country for superior trees. He was especially interested in the edible acorn (primarily for livestock feed).







Several American persimmons with respectably sized and delicious fruit stand in a row alongside the road (persimmons and pavement don't mix).





These grafted thornless honey locusts have quite large pods. Several of Hershey's high protein, high sugar honey locust introductions are still available and highly sought after (again the emphasis was for livestock feed).



Sadly this chestnut of unknown parentage has since been cut down. As it seemed to display moderate blight resistance this is extremely unfortunate and emphasizes the need to spread the word concerning Hershey's nursery.



A large grafted Northern pecan with large delicious nuts is in the foreground surrounded by several hicans and other economically valuable trees.

The graft line on many trees, such as the Northern pecan and hican above, is still quite evident.



This grafted hickory is loaded with superior nuts.



Although this undeveloped land alongside Lancaster Avenue might seem wild, the evenly spaced walnuts trees tell the astute observer that they are looking at a former nut grove.








Sorting out the viable from the unviable for planting. Pictured is a small assortment of hicans (top), Northern pecans (middle), shagbarks, and sweet pignuts (bottom-right to left). While growing from seed may produce interesting results, many of these species must be propagated asexually (grafted) in order to preserve the superior traits.




A day at Hershey's nursery. Persimmons, bur oak acorns, butternuts, buartnuts, black walnuts, chestnuts, shagbark nuts, northern pecans, hicans, sweet pignuts, and honey locust seed.

 

Winterberry (Ilex verticillata): aptly named.

Hugelkultur









Hugelkultur (rotten log raised bed) under construction. The steep angle allows one to harvest low growing crops (such as the strawberries that were subsequently planted here) without bending over and the rotten logs store moisture for plants to access during drought. Note how it thaws much faster than surrounding areas.

Mushrooms






Turkey Tail Mushroom (Tramates versicolor): a highly medicinal and quite common mushroom. In the lower photo it is growing prolifically on a beech infected with beech bark fungus (Neonectria sp.). 

 



Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) on a yellow birch (above) and entering the dehydrator (below). This powerful medicinal mushroom can regrow from the same host tree if harvested carefully. Unlike many other medicinal mushrooms, chaga tea has a not particularly fungal taste, refreshingly bitter with a hint of wintergreen from the birchbark. When sweetened it reminds me of uncarbonated coca-cola, unlike coca-cola it treats diabetes instead of causing it.





Chanterelles (Cantharellus cibarius): If it doesn't have that wonderful hint of apricot fragrance, it's not a chanterelle.





Lion's Mane (Hericium sp.): This one mushroom provided several delicious meals. Truly one of the best edible mushrooms.







Birch polypore (Piptoporus betulinis): This highly medicinal mushroom was once used as a razor strop. These beautiful specimens are past their prime (as evidenced by the dark brown pore surface underneath). But be forewarned: they're bitter and highly fungal tasting.





Plugging and waxing logs with shiitake plug spawn.



Delicious Blue oyster mushrooms wishing they weren't caged.

Watercress (Nasturtium officinale)

The Hemlock Reishi A.K.A. Hemlock Varnish Shelf








Hemlock reishi mushroom (Ganoderma tsugae): Inconspicuous when dry, stunning when wet. This mushroom grows on dead and dying hemlock trees and is a highly revered medicinal species.