Today in the orchard
Before starting the long car-ride from western MA back to Palermo, I stopped at an old farm in Gill, just a few miles from Greenfield. This past summer I had been contacted by the owner about an old tree in her yard. Becky Minor had been inspired to get in touch with me after reading an article about the rediscovery of the Drap d’Or de Bretagne. It’s another reason why putting yourself out there can be a really good thing to do. I asked her to send me a photo of the tree; when it comes to old trees, I want to see what the tree looks like first. She sent me a photo, and I knew this was a tree I had to visit. I pulled into the driveway, parked the car, got out, and there was the tree. I was instantly glad I had come.
Becky had explained in the earlier email, “We have lived in our house for 15 years, and the previous owners told us that the house was moved here ca. 1850. Just outside our back door, literally 10 feet from the house is the apple tree. It still blossoms every year and produces fruit. The apples are yellow and generally begin to rot and fall off the tree well before traditional harvest time. I have honestly never tasted one, so I couldn't tell if you they are sweet or tart-but the bees sure love them! It is quite amazing to me that it is still alive as it is completely hollow, and more than half of the base of the tree doesn't even touch the ground anymore.”
I was not disappointed. Although the top of the tree had broken off long ago, the trunk is largely intact, huge, hollow and—as Becky had written to me—mostly not touching the ground. It is an apple tree lifting off to heaven. On one side is a horseshoe grown into the trunk. It looks as though someone had hung it on the tree in about 1880 for good luck. The tree is growing only a few feet from the house. This is odd. Did an apple sprout a few feet from the foundation shortly after the house was moved just prior to the Civil War? Was there a young 20 or 30 year old tree growing at the site when they moved the house? Maybe they planted the tree in anticipation of moving the house. It’s so close. There must be a story there. In any event, the tree is probably 200 years old.
Becky did give me fruit that had been in her cooler for a couple of months. It is still in decent shape and is an apple I’ve never seen before. I’ll be able to phenotype it and see if it rings any bells. I took leaves and will submit a sample for DNA profiling. And then I was back on the road and heading for Maine. Thank you, Becky.