Greg Quinn
Encyclopedia
Greg Quinn, with the help of several NYS Senators and Assemblypersons, has successfully led the effort to overturn the ban on the commercial cultivation of currants in the U.S. in 2003.
but they became extremely rare in the 20th Century after currant farming was banned in the early 1900s. This once “forbidden fruit” a dark-colored berry is extremely high in antioxidants such as the polyphenols anthocyanin
s which have been shown to help prevent various types of degenerative diseases, such as heart disease and cancer, as well as slow down the aging process and protect the body’s vision and neurological functions. The black currant has twice the antioxidants of blueberries, four times the amount of vitamin C found in oranges, as well as more potassium than bananas.
, Quinn has written 8 children's books published by Scholastic Press
under the titles; A Gift of a tree,The Garden in Our Yard, and 6 books within the Natural Treasure series, as well as 365 Meditations for Teachers articles for SKY magazine
, Good Housekeeping
, Fine Gardening
and has been "The Garden and Nature Guy" on WHUD
and other Pamal Broadcasting
radio stations as well as FOX 5 television, WNYW
out of New York City
. He has also cooked for a restaurant in Bavaria
.
Background
Black currants, Ribes nigrum were once popular in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
but they became extremely rare in the 20th Century after currant farming was banned in the early 1900s. This once “forbidden fruit” a dark-colored berry is extremely high in antioxidants such as the polyphenols anthocyanin
Anthocyanin
Anthocyanins are water-soluble vacuolar pigments that may appear red, purple, or blue according to pH...
s which have been shown to help prevent various types of degenerative diseases, such as heart disease and cancer, as well as slow down the aging process and protect the body’s vision and neurological functions. The black currant has twice the antioxidants of blueberries, four times the amount of vitamin C found in oranges, as well as more potassium than bananas.
The currant ban
The currant ban was enacted when it was discovered that blackcurrants helped to spread the tree disease White Pine Blister Rust, which was thought to threaten the then-booming U.S. lumber industry. Greg Quinn succeeded in demonstrating that currants could be a commercially viable crop and grown safely using the resistant varieties. He started the first major currant farm in New York in 2003 after the ban was lifted. He also created the national market for currants by incorporating The Currant Company, LLC, which develops and distributes currant products for the retail and wholesale trade. The first of these products and the first domestically produced and U.S. nationally available currant product of any kind since 1911 is a line of all natural black currant based nectar marketed under the brand name CurrantC(TM). Quinn says this may be one of the first crops in many decades to provide profitability to struggling farmers. Each year, hundreds of small farms in New York State cease to exist (thousands across the U.S.), and developers quickly snap up open land when farmers sell off their property. The Currant Company’s goal is to bring back black currant farming in the hope of helping to save some of this open space. One of Quinn's stated goals is to help make New York the nation’s top black currant producer once again.Biographical information
In addition to teaching at the New York Botanical GardenNew York Botanical Garden
- See also :* Education in New York City* List of botanical gardens in the United States* List of museums and cultural institutions in New York City- External links :* official website** blog*...
, Quinn has written 8 children's books published by Scholastic Press
Scholastic Press
Scholastic is a global book publishing company known for publishing educational materials for schools, teachers, and parents, and selling and distributing them by mail order and via book clubs and book fairs. It also has the exclusive United States' publishing rights to the Harry Potter book...
under the titles; A Gift of a tree,The Garden in Our Yard, and 6 books within the Natural Treasure series, as well as 365 Meditations for Teachers articles for SKY magazine
SKY magazine
Sky Magazine was a UK magazine that started in the late 1980s and ceased publication in 2001. It was an entertainment magazine dealing mainly in celebrities featured in film, television and music. It should not be confused with the Sky magazine sent free to subscribers to British Sky Broadcasting...
, Good Housekeeping
Good Housekeeping
Good Housekeeping is a women's magazine owned by the Hearst Corporation, featuring articles about women's interests, product testing by The Good Housekeeping Institute, recipes, diet, health as well as literary articles. It is well known for the "Good Housekeeping Seal," popularly known as the...
, Fine Gardening
Fine Gardening (magazine)
Fine Gardening is a magazine for gardening enthusiasts of all skill levels covering the basics of garden design with advice from horticulture experts and landscape professionals. The focus is more on ornamental plants and home landscaping rather than edible gardens...
and has been "The Garden and Nature Guy" on WHUD
WHUD
WHUD is an Adult Contemporary radio station licensed to Peekskill, New York. The station is owned by Pamal Broadcasting and broadcasts on 100.7 MHz at 50 kW ERP from a tower site in Philipstown, New York.-History:...
and other Pamal Broadcasting
Pamal Broadcasting
Pamal Broadcasting, Ltd. is a family-owned radio ownership with stations in medium-to-small markets in the Northeast and Florida. Based in the Albany suburb of Latham, New York, Pamal Broadcasting was founded in 1986 as Albany Broadcasting when business man James J. Morrell entered broadcast...
radio stations as well as FOX 5 television, WNYW
WNYW
WNYW, virtual channel 5 , is the flagship television station of the News Corporation-owned Fox Broadcasting Company, located in New York City. The station's transmitter is atop the Empire State Building and its studio facilities are located in the Yorkville section of Manhattan...
out of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He has also cooked for a restaurant in Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
.