Preserving the Past, Sustaining the Future
One of our largest contributions to sustainability is in the form of apple biodiversity conservation efforts.
Many folks do not realize that apple varieties do not breed true from seed. If you plant an apple seed from a favorite tree, contrary to most folks' expectations, you will NOT get that same variety. The only way to preserve specific varieties is to vegetatively propagate them, typically through grafting. The way apple varieties are preserved is instead through vegetative propagation (usually through grafting).
So, if an old homestead has a fantastic tree that grew from seed, that apple variety will be permanently lost if someone does not collect and graft from that tree.
Apple trees only live around 50 or so years (or less, depending on the rootstock), so it takes consistent re-grafting over time to be preserved. Fewer and fewer folks have this specialized knowledge and experience to graft. To that end, TC3 has been steadily rejuvenating Kelly Ridge Farms old orchard, as well as steadily adding new orchard acres using modern trellised methods. We have been working hard to locate and preserve heritage apple varieties.
We preserve the sweetness of our past by hosting grafting workshops each spring to teach folks how to graft and to get fantastic heirloom apples into production.
Apple trees only live around 50 or so years (or less, depending on the rootstock), so it takes consistent re-grafting over time to be preserved.
We are also working (as our orchards come of age) to be able to sell scion wood (genetic material harvested from existing trees and used in grafting). We have over 60 varieties of apple currently in our three orchards and are working to identify and save more each year.
Our orchardist, Tom McMullen frequently offers Heirloom Apple Tree Grafting Workshops for people of all ages and experiences. At our last grafting workshop Participants grafted 211 heirloom apple trees over the 3 weekends. "If only 50% "take", that's still more than 100 new heirloom apple trees in our backyards for the next 30+ years!
Watch social media for more information on the next workshop, or contact the company for a tour of The Cidery and its orchards.
