JOHNNY APPLESEED (Conrad fridline)

John Chapman (aka Johnny Appleseed) planted thousands of apple trees throughout what are now the midwest states in the early nineteenth century. Many fruit explorers have searched in vain for his seedlings. This is reputed to be the last one. The tree was tracked down and saved by Colorado fruit explorer and nurseryman, Scott Skogerboe. Scott spent countless hours over years attempting to find it. Here is an edited version of Scott’s story:

In 1821 Conrad Fridline of Ashland County, OH gave Johnny Appleseed hospitality and was rewarded with nine seeds taken from a buckskin pouch and planted by Johnny himself. The Fridline tree is from one of those nine seeds. The Fridline farm was eventually passed down to Alonzo Fridline, Conrad’s grandson, who sold it to Roy and Dorothy Funk. Scott was able to contact Roy and Dorothy Funk—then in their 90’s—near Jeromesville. They had been tenant farmers on the farm before purchasing it. By the time Scott connected with the Funks, the original tree was dead, but it had been grafted by Bill Eyssen of Mapleside Farms. Scott tracked down Bill Eyssen who provided Scott with the scionwood. Scott writes, “I asked him [Bill Eyssen] if the fruit was good for anything like making cider or for cooking, and he said,  “Heavens no, about the only thing the fruit is good for is chucking at cats”.  He sent me scions, and Roy Funk sent me a few pages from his scrapbook and the photos… I don’t think the fruit is too terrible. It’s crisp and juicy, but the flavor, although sweet, is bland and boring.” The jury is still out on the fruit itself. Sweet, bland and boring might turn out to be perfect in sauce, cider or molasses!  Own a true piece of Americana! Now on trial at SCF. Scionwood from Scott.