ISLAND APPLES

North Haven, once home to 80 farms (as recorded on the 1860 Agricultural Census) bears traces of the farming past. Among those remnants are the gnarled and weathered apple trees, growing alongside old farmhouses or along a stone wall or at a fields edge. Some grew from seed while others were grafted varieties, carried on through farming families. Each tree holds a story of the land's past and those who have lived there. The fruit of these old trees are unlike any you will find in a supermarket today. While some apples are perfect for sauce or pie, others are best for cider or for storing long into the winter months. As Maine apple historian and fruit explorer John Bunker said, "These apples are a gift to us from the past."

Some heritage apple varieties are quite rare and in some cases may be the only one of its kind. With this in mind, the North Haven Historical Society encourages landowners to be stewards of old apple trees. In addition, our organization gathers and shares information about island fruit trees and offers resources for learning more, featured here. Happy exploring!
OLD APPLE TREES
Know of an apple tree and wonder what its story is? One of the first steps in getting to know a tree -- besides admiring it in blossom or tasting its fruit -- is determining if it is a grafted tree or seedling. This document from the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners describes ways to determine whether a tree is grown from a graft or from seed.
PLANTING APPLE TREES
Looking to plant apple trees and need help choosing which variety? The following is a list of recommendations from Maine apple historian John Bunker. We advise purchasing trees from Fedco Trees, a cooperative company based in Clinton, Maine. Their website and catalog is bursting with information about fruit varieties, planting trees, orchard care, and recipes.
SUMMER VARIETIES: Duchess of Oldenburg, Gravenstein, Red Astrachan, Yellow Transparent
These apples ripen in summer, are generally crispy only for a short period, do not store well, and are often best for cooking

FALL VARIEITIES: Aunt Penelope Winslow, Cora's Grand Greening, Ribston Pippin, Tolman Sweet, Wolf River
These apples store longer and are useful for a wider variety of purposes.

WINTER VARIETIES: Baldwin, Northern Spy, Winter Banana, Yellow Bellflower
These apples ripen mid to late fall, store well, and reach their best flavor after weeks, or even months, of storage.
ISLAND ORCHARDS -- FULL OF HISTORY AND TASTY APPLES!
VISIT TO ISLAND ORCHARDS WITH MAINE APPLE HISTORIAN JOHN BUNKER, 2019
​View the notes from John Bunker's 2019 North Haven visit by selecting the link HERE or the image below.
Notes from a visit to island orchards with Maine apple historian, John Bunker in 2019. Event sponsored by the North Haven Historical Society and the North Haven Grange.

Special thanks to John Bunker, Cammy Watts, Gil and Gertrude Foltz, Gene Cartwright, Meghan Flynn, and Becky Bartovics for being involved with the event.

​Notes compiled by Lydia Brown with photographs from the North Haven Historical Society and Gil Foltz.

For further information about the history of the two farms visited during the public walk, see the following links:
VISIT TO ISLAND ORCHARDS WITH MAINE APPLE HISTORIAN JOHN BUNKER, 2007
​View the notes from John Bunker's 2007 North Haven visit by selecting the link HERE or the image below.
Notes from a visit to island orchards with Maine apple historian, John Bunker in 2007. Event sponsored by the North Haven Historical Society and the North Haven Grange.

Special thanks to John Bunker, Cammy Watts, Gil and Gertrude Foltz, Nan Lee, Joe Stone, and Lydia Brown for being involved with the event.

​Notes compiled by Nan Lee, Lydia Brown, and Joe Stone with orchard sketches by Lydia Brown.
RESOURCES FOR LEARNING MORE ABOUT APPLES!