198: Becoming a Pomologist w/ Dr. Peck

198: Becoming a Pomologist w/ Dr. Peck

Author: Ria Windcaller: Award-winning Cidermaker, Podcaster | Craft Beer Columnist October 23, 2019 Duration: 1:04:02

Gregory M. Peck of the School of Integrative Plant Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York is the featured guest on episode 198.

Dr Gregory Peck in Peck Lab at Cornell University Greg in Peck lab

Greg's chat begins at 21:00 minutes into episode 198.

Before Greg's feature I am reminded by @e_of_blandings That now is the time to pick Medlars. If you have a photo of a medlar please send them my way to info@ciderchat.com and I will in turn post the photos on Cider Chat's social media, so we can all begin to increase our Medlar know how.

At 8:23 minutes in, I read a letter from Cider Chat Patreon Supporter and Russian cidermaker Maxim Brekht.

Maxim shares:

  • a range of obstacles that commercial makers in his country have to maneuver around in order to produce cider.
  • how the Peter Mitchel class informed him and what he is doing beyond the Mitchell class to improve his technical cider making skills.
  • the Russian palate for cider is not so different from other burgeoning cider communities around the world.

The Feature chat wth Greg Peck (at 21:00)

Greg has been in his role as Professor of Pomology at Cornell, since 2015.

Dr Gregory Peck Greg pointing to his door plaque that says, "Mad Scientist" under his name.

Greg discusses his initial research project at Cornell Assessing the Economic Feasibility of Growing Specialized Apple Cultivars for Sale to Commercial Hard Cider Producers

  • A bit on how the money works for grant writing a research project
  • How the United Kingdom has about the same amount of acreage of apples as New York state.

Says Greg Peck, "The cider industry is going to grow very rapidly"

  • What are the best college studies to choose when working towards becoming a pomologist

Find out more at the Cornell Hard Cider website:

http://hardcider.cals.cornell.edu

Follow Gregory Peck on Social Media

Thank you to the following producers for helping to sponsor Cider Chat's tour of the Finger Lakes CiderWeek!

Mentions in this Chat

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There’s a whole world in a glass of cider, and Cider Chat is your invitation to explore it. Hosted by award-winning cidermaker and writer Ria Windcaller, this podcast travels far beyond the bottle to meet the people who make the global cider culture so vibrant. Each conversation is a journey-you might find yourself in a heritage orchard learning the history of forgotten apple varieties, in a bustling taproom with an importer explaining regional traditions, or in a kitchen with a chef pairing cider with unexpected foods. The discussions get into the delightful nuances, too, whether that’s the semantics of what we even call this drink or how the concept of terroir translates from soil to sip. It’s not just about production; it’s about the community, the travel, and the stories that fermentation unlocks. This is for anyone curious about the craft, history, and sheer enjoyment of fermented apple juice in all its forms. So, pour a glass and settle in for a series that feels like a wide-ranging, informative, and genuinely good-humored chat with friends who happen to be obsessed with cider. You’ll come away with a deeper appreciation for every effervescent, tart, or sweet sip, hearing directly from the growers, makers, and enthusiasts who are shaping this drink’s exciting present and future.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 501

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