Tag: Maine Heritage Orchard

  • Tuesday, November 15, 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm – Apples of New England

    Please join apple historian and orchardist John Bunker at The Gardens at Elm Bank, 900 Washington Street in Wellesley on Tuesday, November 15 at 1:30 pm for an entertaining history of New England’s iconic fruit. John will take us back 400 years to the first Massachusetts orchards, from the times when everyone made cider to the introduction of widespread grafting, from the era of the small self sufficient farm to the commodity orchards of today. He’ll tell us about the famous Massachusetts varieties, where they originated, how they disappeared and the recent efforts to rescue them.

    John grew up in Concord, Massachusetts and Palo Alto, California. He’s lived in Palermo, Maine for the past 45 years. There he farms and tends orchards with Cammy Watts. He has coordinated nursery sales at Fedco Trees since its beginning in 1984. He is active in the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association and directs the Maine Heritage Orchard in Unity. Mass Hort Member Cost: $12 Non Member Cost $20.  Register online at http://www.masshort.org.

  • Saturday, October 3, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm – The History of Apples in Massachusetts

    Saturday, October 3, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm – The History of Apples in Massachusetts

    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.

    notfarfromthetree