At the NC Apple Festival in Hendersonville, we walked past baskets and bags filled with apples from orchards all around our area. Some were shiny red, others bright green, and still others were striped with both colors. Seeing all these apples made me think about modern apple farming and how different it is from growing apples long ago. Modern apple farming also takes land, time, and specialized care.

Those two things helped us make a decision at The Tart Farm. Instead of planting apple trees, we have chosen berries such as mulberries and elderberries that fit our farm better.

Growing Apples Long Ago

Apple growing looked very different during colonial times and into the years when John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed, was planting trees. First, many early farm orchards were grown from seeds rather than carefully selected grafted trees. Johnny Appleseed himself planted apple seeds and raised seedling trees in nurseries. Second, colonial farm orchards often had tall, loosely spaced trees that were not pruned into the smaller, carefully managed shapes we often see today.

Third, Colonial apples did not always look like the smooth, matching apples we see in stores today. Many were grown from seeds, so they came in different sizes, shapes, colors, and flavors. Many apples were grown for cider instead of fresh eating.

Growing Apples Today

Modern apple growers make many more decisions before an apple reaches a basket at the market. First, most apple trees are now grafted. Growers join a chosen apple variety to a specially selected rootstock instead of depending on a seed to produce the same kind of apple. Second, farmers can choose rootstocks that keep trees smaller, help them produce fruit sooner, and make pruning and harvesting easier. Some commercial orchards plant these smaller trees much closer together than old seedling orchards. Third, growers carefully watch for insects and diseases and use modern orchard-management methods to protect the crop throughout the growing season.

Those differences were easy to see at the festival. One booth might have pale green apples piled into wooden baskets, while the next had deep-red fruit glowing in the sun. The crowd was already busy even though we arrived early. We could hear people talking with growers and smell warm apple fritters and hand pies nearby. Of course, we did a little tasting too. A crisp apple “log” filled with warm apples came with smooth caramel for dipping. An apple pie slushy was icy cold, refreshing, and full of fall spices.

Choosing What Fits Our Farm

Comparing apple growing in the past with modern apple farming also helped me think about our own choices. We have enough land to grow many things, but that does not mean every crop is a good fit. An orchard would need space, long-term care, pruning, and regular attention to pests and disease.
Meanwhile, Western North Carolina already has farmers who know how to grow excellent apples.

So at The Tart Farm, we have chosen to plant several kinds of berries instead. Then, when apple season arrives, we can gratefully purchase apples from local growers and bring them home to eat and preserve.
Sometimes good farming is about deciding what to grow.
And sometimes the best choice is deciding not to grow something at all.

Think About What You Read

For young readers, families, and classrooms:
Name three ways modern apple farming is different from apple farming during Johnny Appleseed’s time.

Sources:

NC State Extension. North Carolina Production Guide for Smaller Orchard Plantings. NC State University. (NC State Extension)
North Carolina Production Guide for Smaller Orchard Plantings

Source: National Park Service. Historic Context: Orchards, 1600 to 1800. U.S. Department of the Interior.
Historic Context: Orchards, 1600 to 1800