Oglethorpe County gardener's learned all about the native fruit tree at their September meeting
Geoff Hill, a retired forester and longtime gardener from Athens, has a devoted interest in reviving a specific fruit tree: the pawpaw.
“I like the idea of being able to grow pawpaws, eat the pawpaw fruit, save the seed, grow a crop every year, put them on our land,” Hill said, “and share them with folks that want to grow them, too.”
The pawpaw, which was popular in the early 1900s but has since been nearly forgotten, is more familiar to the gardeners of Oglethorpe County, thanks to Hill.
Plowshare, a local farm and garden organization, celebrated its 11th anniversary on Sept. 6 with a potluck and presentation about this underutilized tree that grows the largest fruit native to North America.
The event drew about 60 members, including a few first-time attendees.
Vickie Coker, a Smithonia resident who has been a part of Plowshare since its creation, said the club started as a way for Oglethorpe County gardeners to share seeds and knowledge.
“It was just to get together with a gardening community in this area to help each other,” she said.
After fellowship and a meal, Hill took the floor to educate members on pawpaw trees.
He said the pawpaw was a prized fruit in the early 20th century. Many farmers brought their best fruit to county fairs all over the U.S. for competition.
“It was a blue ribbon event,” Hill said. “It was pretty exciting.”
The pawpaw has a flavor similar to a banana and a mango, with a hint of citrus. Hill said its creamy texture makes it a great option for custard, pies and ice cream.
The outside of the fruit resembles a papaya, with a thin, light green skin that turns yellow and brown when ripe.
A large reason for its decline was a short shelf life. Hil said pawpaws last about 5-7 days once picked, making them less than ideal for transporting in the age of processed food.
As a backyard tree, though, Hill said they are a great option for Oglethorpe County and the rest of the region.
Pawpaws are the only host for the zebra swallowtail butterfly, assist with wetlands mitigation and are appealing to the eye, Hill said. During his career as a forester, Hill used pawpaws for land improvement and forest restoration.
“Every year we’d grow thousands and thousands of them,” he said. “Just such a neat tree.”
Plowshare hosts meetings like these on the second Monday of each month, and in the 11 years since its founding, it has significantly grown.
Carol Williamson, one of the organization’s founders, said the club has increased from just a few members to now filling up the meeting room at the Georgia Farm Bureau in Crawford. The group saw rapid growth after COVID-19, with more people desiring to get out and find new hobbies.
“Everybody wants to be more self-sufficient, grow their own food,” Williamson said.