09/26/2026
A fantastic article from Scientific American which gives the larger historical and international picture of the heritage apple. It’s also the “why” behind the Deer Isle Apple Corps.
John Bunker of FEDCO Trees inspired our vision years ago, saying, “The clock is ticking” for us to identify and save the oldest heritage apple trees before they’re gone. Todd Little-Seibold of College of the Atlantic is our historian expert, DNA project guide, and “member” of our corps. We recently sent out leaves from twenty-some island trees for DNA testing at Washington State University.
Inspired by HIP friend Cheryl Wixson, we’re also keen to more fully utilize the abundance of apples around us as part of creating a resilient, sustainable, hyper-local food system.
They’re free, they’re plentiful, and they’re delicious. Pick ‘em, cook ‘em, and eat ‘em!
Enjoy the article. It’s really good!
And how they might have helped save the future of American apples
