Apple Farming in Farmington

Deane - an all-purpose apple - as good as a Mac but without the scab.

Deane - an all-purpose apple - as good as a Mac but without the scab.

Franklin County was once the epicenter of apples in Maine. If you live in the county, and are curious about its illustrious apple history, you can satisfy that curiosity by joining John Bunker on Thursday, February 20th at 6:30 PM at Twice Told Tales, 155 Main St. in Farmington. John will be reading from his new book, Apples and the Art of Detection, and spinning tales about the historic apples that originated in the area: Deane, Franklin Sweet, Boardman, Hoyt Sweet, Russell and the elusive and much sought-after Sarah. He is on the look out for all of these, so if you know of old grafted trees, bring along any maps, photos and lore that may help him track them down. Copies of his book will be for sale.

Please note the new date (Thursday, February 20 at 6:30) of this talk which was postponed due to snow.

Talking Apples in Newcastle, January 9, 2020

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Even though the 2019 apple season is behind us and the trees are taking a rest for a few months, the fruit explorers in Maine are still hard at it identifying apples that they collected (or were sent to them) during the fall. If you are feeling a bit of cabin fever and need an excuse to get out of the house, come hear John Bunker talk about his adventures tracking down old apples in Maine on January 9 in Newcastle. John will read from his new book, Apples and the Art of Detection. He will also have copies of the book for sale. The talk which is sponsored by The Old Bristol Garden Club is a free event open to the public. It will take place at 1:30 at the 2nd Congregational Church which is the red brick building on Business Rte 1.  There is ample parking in the rear of the church. The talk will be in the downstairs meeting room that can be accessed by either door on the basement side facing south.

APPLES AND THE ART OF DETECTION

Searching for the perfect gift for that apple lover on your holiday list? How about a copy of John’s new book, Apples and the Art of Detection? In it John channels his inner Sherlock Holmes as he searches through Maine’s past and present tracking down historic, unusual and occasionally illusive apple varieties and their stories. Part travelogue, part mystery and part how-to manual, this book will take you for a ride across Maine and leave you excited to start searching for and identifying the old apple trees in your own neighborhood. It may even inspire you to reflect on how you live in the world and the notion of living your passion. One reviewer called it “a great read even for people who somehow have not been bitten by the heirloom apple bug”. Illustrated with hundreds of photos, as well as John’s signature cartoons and paintings of all the iconic Maine apples. 407 pages in full color.

You can purchase Apples and the Art of Detection directly from our on-line store or from the fantastic independent bookstores and retailers listed below You can’t buy the book on Amazon (or at least we hope not).

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John Bunker's Apple Pie

Back in September, Lincolnville filmmaker Josh Gerritson spent a morning on Super Chilly Farm talking to John about all things apple and filming him as he picked fruit and made it into a pie. Film maker and food write Aube Giroux whittled down the hours of footage into this sweet homage to the apple pie for the PBS series, Kitchen Vignettes. While John doesn’t divulge the specific quantities of apples or spices that he uses, it is clear that the key ingredient for a perfect apple pie is love.

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