Buzz’s quest for a hardy Vermont persimmon

The Deeper Dig

Buzz Ferver is on a mission. The proprietor of Perfect Circle Farm in Berlin wants to find a persimmon that will grow well in central Vermont. So far, he’s planted more than 15,000 seeds. Last winter, just one plant survived.

But Ferver is working on something bigger, too. He is cultivating a whole collection of perennial crops — mostly fruits and nuts — that can thrive in Vermont as the climate warms. He envisions a future where farming has shifted away from annual planting and fertilizing, to a method that keeps the soil more intact.

“Climate change is in nobody’s favor, including trees. Because that kind of change, that's disaster — that's like meteor-hitting-the-planet kind of change,” Ferver said. “But because of climate change, I may have better luck growing plants here that historically wouldn't grow here.”

His work is also a sort of history project — and scavenger hunt. Ferver combs through historical records and Facebook groups to track down plants cultivated by previous generations of growers.

In this week’s podcast, Ferver talks persimmons, pawpaws and pecans. Plus, Vern Grubinger, a vegetable and berry expert at the University of Vermont Extension, explains some of the challenges and promises of cultivating perennial crops.