08/21/06 Parma`s tasty delights

September 6th is the day that Essie Fallahi leads tours of his vineyards of table grapes and his orchards of apples, peaches, pears, nectarines, plums and alternative fruit. Fallahi says anyone is welcome to come to the University of Idaho Extension Center at Parma where he has been doing fruit research for years. FALLAHI "We are testing with eleven different types of Fuji and nine different types of Gala. We are testing with over 65 different peaches, nectarines and pluots." This year all 35 table grape varieties from Russia and the University of Arkansas are bearing fruit. It's all part of his research to help establish a niche market for a growing table grape industry in Idaho. FALLAHI "Among all of those there are some that are showing really promising results. Selections that we are testing some of them will be specifically grown in Idaho; they have not been tested in other locations." Commercial and alternative fruit growers, small scale farmers and master gardeners have traditionally flocked to the annual event. It's free; it begins promptly at 9am on September 6th and concludes by 1 pm with plenty of tasty samples along the way. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott