applesearch.org

Apple Search - The Search for "Lost" Heritage Apples

Heritage Apples are the apples of our Grandparents and Great-grandparents. Their uses were varied–for drying, frying, fresh eating,Halloween treats, baking, brandy, cider (hard and sweet), vinegar, livestock feed, and much more. The diversity of their shapes, sizes, colors,textures, tastes and times of ripening was amazing. For every early farm family an extensive orchard was essential. As more and more land was settled, a well developed orchard was a sure sign that civilization had reached the American frontier.

These old timey apples are part of our agricultural heritage, but they are rapidly being lost forever. The trees are being cut down and the older people who remember the apple names are passing away. The window to still find and save these wonderful apples is rapidly closing.

Tom Brown of Clemmons, NC, became interested in finding and saving these apples in 1999. Some of the results from this effort are presented here. The apple trees are saved for future generations to enjoy by donations of scionwood to heritage apple nurseries and preservation orchards, plus trees are grafted for return to their original counties. To date over 1,000 apple varieties have been discovered, with an actual original tree being found in each case.

cbc.ca

From Bachelor Blush to War Woman: The stories of North America's lost apples

Of the 17,000 varieties of apples once available on this continent, 13,000 have disappeared. But some experts are committed to locating our lost apple strains, and the histories they reveal.

“Bachelor Blush. Hog Snout. Montreal Peach. Rough and Ready. Sweet Seek-No-Further. War Woman.

Just some of the lost apples of North America.

Apples came to North America with Europeans in the 16th century, but spread quickly to become an important food source for settlers and Indigenous people alike.

There were once 17,000 varieties of apples on this continent. Of those, 13,000 have now disappeared — and only a dozen or so are available at a standard grocery store.”