California Rare Fruit Growers, San Diego Chapter

What is CRFG?

The San Diego Chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers was created to educate people about rare fruits (and now vegetables and herbs too), and to identify non-commercial edibles that may be adaptable to our changing microclimates, and to propagate and to exchange related plant materials and share personal gardening experiences and knowledge.
Contact Us:
CRFG Co-Chair: 
James Lively  -  crfgsd@gmail.com
CRFG Co-Chair: Jeremy Tuler
CRFG Secretary: Robin Rivet - crfgsecretary@gmail.com
CRFG Treasurer: Irene Dulaney

Upcoming events

Monthly Meetings:
When: 
Fourth Wednesday every month (unless otherwise noted)
Time: (these are approximate)
6:00 - 7:00pm: social hour 
7:00-7:15pm: business items 7:15 - 8:15pm speaker presentation and Q&A
8:15-9:00pm: fruit tasting & opportunity table 
9:00 - 9:30pm: questions
wrap-up/cleanup with gates locked promptly 10:00pm 
Where: NEW LOCATION!
Our new meeting room is at our propagation area address: San Diego Youth Services
3845 Spring Dr. Spring Valley, CA 91977
We are meeting live again, and only when feasible we will provide a link via Zoom to a speaker's presentation. As possible, the link will be posted in the newsletter.

ONLINE STORE


Become a member

Join us

California Rare Fruit Growers

A membership of like-minded fruit enthusiasts dedicated to: 

  • Growing fruiting plants that may or may not be commonly found in the San Diego County area.

  • Sharing information about fruits potentially adaptable to the San Diego  area and varieties of established fruit better suited to specific areas and growing conditions.


  • Exchanging seeds, cuttings, scion wood, and plants with each other, primarily for home use/growing.

  • Following all federal, state, and county agricultural regulations.

All chapter membership renewal dues
should have been paid by January 1, 2026

Everyone who has not yet renewed their
2026 San Diego chapter dues by March 31 will lose membership privileges. 
Please note: As of March 31, 2026 - if your chapter membership lapses, your grace period will be over, and we will have to archive your existing contact information; and newsletter delivery will cease. 

HOWEVER, WE WANT YOU BACK!
Everyone who was current in 2025 - can still renew their 2026 CRFG membership online. If you have difficulty logging in, please contact the secretary.

CRFGsecretary@gmail.com
If you renewed on or before February 4, 2026 your new 2026 name tag was printed.
These are now available to pick up at most regular meetings and  some events  - if pre-arranged for Saturday learning and work days.

If you unable to login to renew and pay - or have tried updating your password and cannot, please contact a CRFG administrator to be reinstated in order to renew for the calendar year 2026. Need help? 
Contact: crfgsd@gmail.com or crfgsecretary@gmail.com

Please also note:
If you have had - or are having financial difficulties or have been unable to afford - even our lowest local annual fees, please let us know. This could apply to students, seniors, families or others - who may be in need. Our board can approve a temporary exemption for various personal reasons, but you do need to ask.  
mailto:crfgsecretary@gmail.com

IMPORTANT NEWS
April 22, 2026 - 6:00pm

NEW meeting location:

3845 Spring Drive, Spring Valley, CA 91977

Our April Presentation is:

HORTICULTURAL MYTHS

"It's easy to find gardening advice online - but how much of it makes sense or has been adequately researched?  

Our April speaker
is a 21 year veteran University of California Master Gardener  - and former computer engineer Dawn Standke:


Join us for some "Myth Busting" where she will cover topics including:  Should Neem oil be my go-to solution for garden problems? Are banana peels good for your plants? Are bananas radioactive?  Can milkweed hurt me?



Would copper nails kill trees? Can you use pennies as a snail and slug repellant?



In addition to currently researching horticultural science, Dawn has degrees in math and a master's degree in computer engineering with an emphasis in artificial intelligence.
Today, 
Dawn prefers gardening and grows extensive fruits, vegetables and plants that attract birds and butterflies.
Along with her husband in Rancho Pe
ñ
asquitos, they tend a wildlife-friendly garden where Bobcats chose their backyard six years in a row to raise young! Check out this video from 2023 of the bobcat kittens playing in a cardboard box: 
Don't miss this meeting! 

No doubt you'll learn Something surprising.

Questions ?crfgsd@gmail.com
crfgsecretary@gmail.com


California Rare Fruit Growers
San Diego Chapter
PO Bo
x 1863
Spring Valley, CA 91979
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