From forgotten varieties of plums and apples to grapefuit and even bananas, an impressive array of rare fruits are growing in Sonoma County.

The California Rare Fruit Growers organization is internationally known for its devotion to cultivating and perpetuating fruit varieites that may otherwise go unnoticed and even face extinction.  Even Sonoma County's favorite homegrown apple, the Gravenstein, is considered a rare or heritage variety in most other places.

The Redwood Empire Chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers has events for local members as well as an annual community  event to showcase the organization and demonstrate their grafting and planting techniques. Visitors can even select some cuttings to take home.

 Phil Pieri, president of the Redwood Empire chapter, retired to Sonoma County to fulfill his lifelong dream of growing food for his own table.

The USDA is preparing to adopt standards defnining exactly what can be labeled organically farmed fish. Not surprisingly, that's prompted a big debate behind the scenes.

 A typical "open pen" at a commercial salmon farm. These pens are usually arranged in larger groupings (such as the one shown in the photo below), linked by walkways that are used by the staff.

This commercial salmon fishing operation is in a deepwater cove off Lucas Bay, Alaska. Most of the world's salmon farming is done in the cold northern Pacific and Atlantic waters off North America.

Urvashi Rangun (right)  is a senior scientist and policy analyst for Consumer's Union, which is advocating for rigorous new standards for farmed seafood to be labled "organic."

Mixed news on the health care front:  stem cell research is spurring advances in what's being called regenerative medicine, but California's budget crisis threatens the ability of community clinics to provide many basic services.

Dr. David Greenberg, Vice President of Special Research Projects for the Buck Institute for Age Research in Novato.

In addition to embryonic stem cells, Dr. Greenberg says current research is also studying adult stem cells.

Beatrice Bostick, Executive Director of Clinic Ole in  Napa County warns that reducing health care coverage through Medi-Cal will inevitably result in greater demands for hospital emergency rooms, with no funds available for that care.

stem cells