Today in the orchard
Todd Little-Siebold and I gave a presentation at the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill this afternoon. Our focus was historic apple identification and how the use of DNA has helped to inform our understanding of apple history in New England. It was part of a well-attended, all-day seminar on apples.
The day was topped off in fantastic style when one of the attendees came up to me and identified herself as a descendent of Nathaniel Haskell, the fellow who is thought to have found the original Black Oxford. Needless to say, she now has my full attention and contact information. She will be talking with relatives, and I hope to learn everything I can about the Haskell family and the past 240 years or so. I told her I’d send her some Black Oxfords this fall.