This UM SEAS project aims to encourage consumer and grower interest in lesser-known, native and regionally-adapted fruit trees and shrubs that are climate resilient and do not require heavy sprays. They are providing various examples of these fruit crop products to gauge consumer interest and marketability, and share this information with growers. Products for this taste testing event will include persimmon jam and pie, persimmon mead, lemon quince jam and gummy bears, serviceberry fruit leathers, serviceberry mead, cornelian cherry salsa, gooseberry jam and ketchup, and chickasaw plum jam. 

Their main intention at the event is to showcase the flavors and uses of hearty tree crops and get consumer feedback to provide to our network of growers in order to provide marketability information and promote their usage.