Living apple tree museum could preserve long lost N.B. varieties

HOPEWELL CAPE, N.B. – An Albert County group is working with residents to save old varieties of apples in the area.

The food security awareness group is called Foods of the Fundy Valley.

Lisa Brown, who speaks for the group, says the area used to have an abundant apple-growing industry between two orchards that grew hundreds of thousands of trees.

A warm and wet local climate contributed to their growth.

But after the orchards closed, the trees were left to fend for themselves. Many were cut down while others were swallowed-up by the woods.

Brown says their work shouldn’t be forgotten.

“Everyone around here it seems they have a tree on their property and they know a little bit about the story that came with the tree,” she said. “I think that’s really interesting and I find that’s the feedback we’re getting from people.”

One of the people trying to save the old varieties is Stephen Holmstrom, who comes from a long line of apple growers in the area.

“From what I understand, originally when you settled you had to plant an orchard of 50 to 100 trees because it was so essential to your diet,” he said. “You dried apples and you ate them to keep scurvy away.”

He’s been using a process called grafting to save the old varieties. The work includes taking a section of the old tree with leaf buds and inserting into another tree. This process preserves the original variety on that stem.

The group is asking anyone with any information about apple trees on their properties come forward. Their plan is to grow the original varieties on land at the Albert County Museum.

Donald Alward, the museum’s curator, says he would like to have at least 20 different varieties at the living apple tree museum.

“Our ideal situation would be to provide an example of as many of the different varieties that were grown in Albert County as possible,” he said.