Dragon Fruit Production - Ellen Maisen Organic Farmer

Ellen Maisen began farming commercially in 2012 when she and her husband bought a small ranch in Valley Center, CA. Most people would not think retiring to run a farm was “relaxing” but all CRFG'ers know that challenges make us tick!
She and her husband applied for organic certification and started working to develop their land, prioritizing the installation of a well. It had been a working (but waning) avocado grove, but slowly it has morphed into a multi-fruit orchard serving Organic grocers in the surrounding counties.

 
Today, their main crop is Pitahaya  - aka “DragonFruit”.  Although avocadoes are native to the same regions as pitahaya, they are more water-intensive in our drier Mediterranean climate, so sadly, avocado fruit may soon be a distant memory at their Organic farm.

Ellen will talk about the history and characteristics of dragon fruit, and how scientists identify them. She will cover growing and propagation strategies, and a little about marketing. Pitahaya are found in many colors, from white and pink, to red or purple-fleshed fruit, with skin in shades of yellow, pink or red. Unfortunately, many sources (and even some commercial growers) do not know how to identify the different cultivars. They typically have beautiful large flowers too. 

   Some hobbyists have also been growing dragon fruit from seed and then subsequently breeding them, so there has obviously been some confusion and perhaps even unstable hybrids. She’ll give you a list of reliable sources for known cultivars (who are trustworthy), because they have done their background research, and have experience growing and comparing results. She and her husband also eventually hope to host a “walkabout” exploring their farm and some of the "wild" figs currently growing there.