For 300 years Massachusetts was the center of American orcharding. Long before the days of Red Delicious, Fuji, Gala and Honeycrisp there was Roxbury Russet, Garden Royal, Hubbardston Nonesuch and Westfield Seek No Further. Where did those old varieties come from? What were they like? What were they used for? Where are they now? On Saturday, October 3 at 1 pm join apple historian and fruit explorer John Bunker at Tower Hill Botanic Garden for a romp through the history of apples in the Bay State. Learn the answers to these and other questions. Bring your apples for John to identify. Free with admission.
John Bunker grew up in Massachusetts and California, moving to Maine in 1968. He has lived in Palermo on Super Chilly Farm for the past 43 years, where he and Cammy Watts grow vegetables, woody and herbaceous ornamentals, small fruits and tree fruits. He coordinates nursery sales for Fedco, the co-op seed and nursery company in Clinton. His passion is tracking down heirloom fruit varieties, particularly those originating in Maine. He has established the Maine Heritage Orchard at the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association -MOFGA’s- Common Ground in Unity. Eventually the orchard will be home to 500 or more historic pears and apples. The first 100 apple varieties were planted in April 2014. He coordinates an annual series of organic orcharding classes at MOFGA, the spring “Seed Swap and Scion Exchange” and the October “Great Maine Apple Day.” He speaks and teaches in the New England area regularly year round. In 2007 he self-published Not Far From the Tree: A Brief History of the Apples and the Orchards of Palermo, Maine.
