Heirloom apples

Apples are one of the more time-consuming home garden fruits to grow, according to one of my favorite gardening podcasts, Gardening Conversations, coming from North Country Public Radio in Upstate New York. I download it through iTunes; their Jan. 19 podcast talked about apples (I listened to it this morning while walking).

But I also just received an e-mail notification of heirloom apple availability from Monticello's Center for Historic Plants for 'Esopus Spitzenburg', 'Albemarle Pippen, and 'Hewe's Crab Apple.' Hmmm.

And I've been eyeing the wonderful list of heirloom apples available at Big Horse Creek Farm in Ashe County, North Carolina. Some of the first things I planted as a VERY newbie gardener many years ago in SE Georgia (uh, not apple country) were apple trees - one of them, a Stark golden delicious, was just starting to bear fruit when we moved to South Carolina.

And, now being near apple country in the Piedmont, and having a bit of space in the mountains to plant a few trees -- I'm going to try some apples again. I've ordered some from Big Horse Creek Farm, to be grafted in March and ready to plant in fall. They include Sugarloaf, Carolina Pippin, Ashemeade's Kernel, and Cox Pippin. And maybe I should try the 'Esopus Spitzenburg,' in spite of the variety being a bit difficult. I had some in a heirloom apple sampler box once that were delicious.

And, I really LOVE apples.

Apples

In the mountains for the weekend, we were walking near a city park. My attention was drawn by recently planted trees and shrubs near a recreation center. Much to my surprise (and delight), blueberries, a mulberry, apple trees, and yellow-stemmed dogwoods were among the plantings.

The centerpiece was a largish apple tree, with multiple grafts, marked by aluminum tags. They read Esophus Spitzenberg, Winesap, and something else I couldn't read. What fun! There was plenty more space between the building and the basketball court for vegetable gardens, I thought...

The North Carolina mountains are apple country, and heirloom apple varieties are getting more attention.

Western North Carolina is home to a wide variety of small growers and producers, with locally-grown or produced vegetables, artisan bread and cheese, and seasonal tailgate markets, well-supported. A visit to a local organic market found a regional brewer giving away free samples of their ales; my gardening companion was impressed!

Close to nature

The mountains (0f the Southern Appalachians) are nearby, and that's a good thing. They're covered with lovely forests (post early-20th century logging), rich in species, and wonderful to visit. I needed to drive up to Asheville today, in the center of Western North Carolina, and even though I didn't have time to hike anywhere, appreciated the beauty of our weathered mountains.