One of the early seminar highlights had to be Jim Gilbert’s seminar on “Plants with a Purpose.” Gilbert is the owner of Northwoods Nursery in Molalla, Ore. and the One Green World website (www.onegreenworld.com). He’s carved out a unique niche for himself by offering unique fruit and berry shrubs and trees that he finds all over the world. “I like to do fruit exploring,” he said. “I like to go around the country and look for interesting things.”

Gilbert has visited China, the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe and all across the United States, unearthing discoveries which he then sells at his retail nursery and website.

Each tree and shrub has its own interesting story. For example, the Nikita’s Gift Persimmon (pictured) is a hybrid between an Asian persimmon variety and an American persimmon, taking on characteristics of each. “In the autumn, the leaves will fall and the tree is covered in bright, orange fruit into December,” he said. Best of all, it can be grown just about anywhere, he said.

Later on, watch the Farwest Show Facebook page — we’ll upload photographs of several of his other finds — Cornelian cherry, jujube (“not the little candy you find in movie theaters,” Gilbert said), mulberry, pineapple guava, paw paw, sea berry and goji.