The Roxbury Russet – 10/23/13

Roxbury History Speaker Series presents:

The Roxbury Russet: America’s  oldest apple and the history of the orchards of Massachusetts

Wednesday October 23, 2013

5-6PM  Cider tasting, apple identification and tree viewing Do you have an apple tree in your backyard or on your street.? Bring an apple from the tree and John will identify it. Roxbury Heritage State Park  183 Roxbury Street Roxbury

6:30PM The Roxbury Russet-Presentation by John Bunker, Apple Historian
First Church in Roxbury 10 Putnam St Roxbury-right across the street from Roxbury Heritage State Park

Join agricultural historian, orchardist and fruit explorer John Bunker to learn more about the Roxbury Russet and the history, uses, varieties and culture of apples of America.  John will recount “Sherlock Holmes-like” stories of tracking down forgotten rare varieties. He will talk about why these old apples might be especially important today. He will explain grafting and pruning and will answer your questions about how to plant and care for your own trees.

For generations, beginning with the first European settlers, nearly everyone in New England lived on small diversified farms.  Every one of those farms had an orchard.  These were rarely commercial enterprises but rather they were small homestead orchards, featuring locally adapted varieties, selected to meet the needs of the family.   It was a time when “local food” was hardly a fad.  It was the way all people ate.  From Maine to Massachusetts to Georgia and west to the Mississippi River, millions of farms and tens of millions of apple trees dotted the landscape.  Over 15,000 new American varieties were named before 1900, the first of which was the Roxbury Russet.

Roxbury Russet cider from West County Cider will be available at Roxbury Heritage State Park. John Bunker will also be on hand to share information about the trees in Roxbury Heritage State Park and to identify apples.  Box suppers will be available to order on line from Haley House Bakery Café . http://haleyhouse.org/rhs.html

Co sponsored by Roxbury Historical Society, Haley House Bakery Cafe, the Shirley Eustis House and Discover Roxbury. Funding support from Shawmut Design and Construction