USask Fruit Program breeds many crops!
Announcements
Dr. Anze Svara is the new head of the fruit program! He started this position on Jan 15, 2025. You can view his new profile at: Dr Anze Svara
Dr. Svara has decided there will be:
A Plant sale (June 6 & 7)
Haskap Days, July 17 & 18, 2025
Haskap School, Thursday July 17th, 9am - 3pm
Haskap Research School, Friday July 18th 9am - 2pm
A Grafting Workshop (Likely mid August)
See details on the extention events page
'Boreal Bliss' a new haskap variety
This is the first haskap variety with wild Canadian haskap as one of its parents. It is being propagated by the Fruit Program to be distrbuted to nurseries in spring. Likely it will start appearing for sale in 2026.
Click HERE to read more about it.
Bob Bors "Retirement"
After 25.5 years, I retired as of July 1st, 2024. I will continue to be involved in the fruit program as a volunteer. Since I retired on July 1st I have already: run Haskap days; gathered berries from controlled crosses and extracted seeds; given two tours; made notes on promising advanced selections and propagated some of them; written documents for Plant Breeder's Rights for our new haskap 'Boreal Bliss', and helped 3 professors with grant proposals. This month (September) the department is interviewing candidates to replace me. Whoever gets hired, I will be quite happy to offer may assistance for fruit breeding.
I intend to to give talks and workshops and hope to ease the transition of whoever replaces me. Likely I will complete my partially written Haskap manual this winter and possibly update the Cherry grower's manual. I am planning on staying in Saskatoon when retired so I'll be around.
People ask me how does it feel to be retired. Well, I get to sleep in, take naps, and do things that I like to do. Except for the extra sleeping and lack of authority, its very similar to my job in the summer.
Sincerely,
Bob Bors
PS: at the Crop Production Show it was announced that Bob will be inducted into the Saskatchewan Agriculture Hall of Fame!