Pawpaws are a fruit native to the eastern United States, but they’ve fallen out of favor. Now, however, the time is right for a comeback.
Pawpaws are an old fashioned fruit. Virginia State Professor Reza Rafie says they were popular in colonial times.
"Actually it was a staple food for the Indians," he says, "and Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, actually it was their favorite fruit."
They were so passionate that they grew pawpaws on their Virginia plantations. A member of the custard apple family, they taste like a cross between a banana and a mango with a hint of pineapple -- sweet, and creamy, but not compatible with modern supermarkets.
“It’s extremely perishable and it doesn’t ship well," Rafie explains.
Now, however, with the dawn of a local foods movement, Rafie says they’re making a comeback.
“Small farmers actually are always looking for opportunities. When you put them in the supermarket or farmers’ market it flies out very quickly,” he says.
Technically a tropical fruit, they should grow well in the age of climate change, and they won’t depend on vanishing bees. The pollination is done by beetles and flies.
On September 6th, Virginia State hosts a workshop on how to produce and market pawpaws. Admission is $20, and pre-registration is required.
The Pawpaw Production and Marketing Workshop will be held September 6 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Randolph Farm Pavilion – 4415 River Road, Petersburg, Virginia.
REGISTER AT EXT.VSU.EDU CALENDAR OF EVENTS
For more information, contact Mollie Klein at (804) 524-5960 or mklein@vsu.edu.
