Home Orchard

[solly]

I would be surprised if you have a single local nursery. Chances are you have several in a 30 mile radius. It's worth a call to find out what they have left.

While this rural county of 15,000 people (45,000 cows, 1 traffic light) does have lots of wholesale nurseries they basically grow mostly white pine (tens of thousands of them) and some other evergreens we have just one general nursery with rather limited stock.

Having lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for over 30 years I was used to having dozens of great nurseries with a huge variety of stock available and I find myself fantasizing about making a quick trip back there - in a rented Gulfstream aircraft that I'll be able to afford just as soon as the dogs come up with those winning lottery numbers.

Thank you all for the much needed advice. I hope I'll be able to find a few trees at the local place but if not I'll most likely wait until fall or even next spring and do mail order.

But to quote the teenaged daughter of mine who said jokingly: I want it all, I want it now and I want it delivered.

 

[dmccarty]

Years ago I bought a book by Lee Calhoun who researched heritage apples many of which have disappeared. He "saved" some of the apples he found looking around the South. Some of these old heritage apples are being sold at Century Farm Orchards: Apple Tree Nursery

Lee's book is interesting apple history. I just checked Amazon and it looks like Lee released a new edition! Woo Hoo! He is up there in age and I was afraid the edition I bought was going to be the last edition. I found the book interesting however part of the book is really a reference so that part is not so interesting to read. Unless you happen to be looking for a variety of apples that display certain characteristics. [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Southern-Apples-Revised-Expanded-Comprehensive/dp/1603582940/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337619614&sr=8-1]Amazon.com: Old Southern Apples, Revised & Expanded: A Comprehensive History and Description of Varieties for Collectors, Growers, and Fruit Enthusiasts (9781603582940): Creighton Lee Calhoun Jr.: Books[/ame]

I have never bought from Century Farms. When we clear the land for the orchard we will go to Century Farms to get our apple trees. He has the heritage apple varieties we want and need for our area.

Century Farms is in Reidsville, NC which is close to VA.

Later,
Dan