ripening

“The circumstances are ripening in a way they never have before.”

Thanks to a sprawling global supply chain, refrigerated cargo ships, controlled-environment greenhouses and the introduction of artificial ripening techniques, American shoppers have gradually become untethered from the natural cycles of the earth.

The Gamay grape, taking its name from a small village in the hills around Beaune, had sprouted in large numbers across Burgundian vineyards, yielding on average three times more wine per acre and ripening two weeks earlier than Pinot.

Pomper explained that developing a pawpaw cultivar with a ripening gradient would be a critical step in advancing the fruit, but plant breeding is a slow process, with cultivars taking up to 20 years to develop.

The erratic rains, he said, mean cherries are ripening less consistently than ever, which makes harvesting and processing less efficient.