100 years ago they grew apples differently

[@januarysdaughter6664]

I live on 2 acres, one is the meadow where I grow wild flowers/herb/berries and 3 chestnut trees. The other acre has my house, chicken shed, safe shed, vegetable gardens, a 16x26 greenhouse, a few big cedar trees and I meticulously planted 1 dwarf green apple and 1 dwarf pink lady apple, along with a dwarf mulberry, thornless blackberries, 2 dwarf red pears and 3 peach trees. I just dug 3 holes today awaiting my dwarf rainier, sour and sweet black cherry trees. Next year will be blueberries and potted cranberries and then possibly a heart walnut in the meadow. When I'm ready to retire, they will all be ready. Zone 6b here. ❤❤

[@rubytuby6369]

When I was a kid, I would climb the apple tree in the backyard. About 30 feet up. The branches were shaped like a cradle at the top. Id pick and eat apples and lay down in the branches with a rope tied to my waist, just in case I fell asleep looking up at the sky.

[@justinarnold7725]

In Victorian England they used to lay a stone plate a metre square underground and then plant the deciduous trees on top of it to stop the tap root going too deep and keep them in manageable size

[@myworke-mail339]

Large pots do that too. Interesting factoid, thanks for sharing!

[@Hyderagean]

You can use the same practice with most seedlings to make a bonsai, too! Just trim early and often.

[@douglasanderson7301]

Interesting, I've got limestone a foot to 2 feet down. Wonder how that will work.

[@rheac953]

@@douglasanderson7301probably dwarf trees

[@Lemarchelesa]

Good idea, thx

[@flatheadpermaculture1423]

Modern orchards are extremely resource intensive- requiring irrigation, expensive trellising, spraying, etc. Old school orchards were productive for generations, requiring little more than a pruning saw and a picking ladder, while also keeping the eco-system in-tact.

[@nikkireigns]

That’s the kind of orchard I want! Old school, big. I have the space and the time. Might try a few columnar dwarfs in the garden while I wait for the standards to bear

[@Snappypantsdance]

@@nikkireigns sounds like a great idea

[@ProsaicPudding]

For real abandoned orchards are such a treat to find. Fruit everywhere! No labor involved.

[@siggyincr7447]

Well more resource intensive on all but the most expensive resource, labor. Those smaller trees are just sooooo much easier to work with. Not to mention the problems with having people climb up 20-30 ft off the ground. Accidents are bound to happen.

[@ThePG90]

@@siggyincr7447 Those small trees produce very fast but only live for a few years and it's very work intensive to care for them. Secondly, the ladder was probably only used much in bad years or hard times. Normaly you would pick low hanging apples by hand, shake the rest down and make juice or cider from the fallen ones. I really like the juice and cidre but you can earn more with hand picked apples. An old tree produces up to 1t of apples per year under optimal conditions....for more than 100 years and you only have to prune it every 5-7 years with NO additional work. Only harvesting. You can't get less work then that. The real reason why they are mostly gone is probably time and knowledge. When you plant a young tree you have to take good care for it and prune it yearly for 15 years more or less. Then you can start pruning it less over time and it will produce larger numbers of fruit. It will enter full production maybe after 25 years, sometimes more. There is an old proverb here in germany: Dem ersten der Tod, dem zweiten die Not, dem dritten das Brot. The first one gets death, the second one hardship, the third one bread. It's about the time (in generations) a family needs to build up wealth for a good life. And even after decades of work your grandkids also need to learn how to work with the trees, IF they even want to continue. Unfortunately few people today really know how to manage the big trees and ones in this video unfortunately also don't look well. You don't see multi-generational thinking much today, so you don't see big old apple trees in orchards anymore.

[@novelogram]

It would be interesting to compare the nutritional values of the apples produced on large trees vs these dwarfs.

[@Fortress333]

The commercially grown apples are loaded with dangerous chemicals. They grow on soils that are barren of life. They are a hazard to the environment. I live in the Netherlands and most commercially grown apples are grown on those dwarf trees that have a short life span and need constant watering and chemical 'attention'. They have to truck in the bees for the pollination, as there's nothing else to interest the bees apart from when the apple blossom is there. If this sounds appealing, go for it. The Dutch are extremely adept at producing maximally and most of the produce is for export. The apples may be cheap, but they come at a hefty price. I grow apples in a food forest and these trees are strong and need no artificial watering or any fertilizer or pesticides. Granted, production is lower, and picking is quite a challenge (yet fun), but there's other foods I grow underneath and around the apple trees. The production of apples in a more environmentally sound orchard is increasing for many years to come and will last a long time. For the biodiversity and your own well-being, growing apples like they used to is the way to go. The commercial players are only doing it for the money and each year they get squeezed more by the supermarkets and banks to scale up and sell the apples for lower prices. One bad harvest and it's a disaster. It has been proven time and again that foods you grow yourself are healthier and more rewarding. What's available in the supermarkets is (1) a bare-minimum selection of just a few commercially viable options, which leads to a monotonous diet; and (2) the vitamin and mineral content is higher of your own produce. Fruit in supermarkets contain just more water, i.e. they are heavier and fetch a higher price. They need to be spotless, too, so that means a lot of food is wasted and a lot of chemicals are used. You don't want these chemicals in your body or in the water and air... End rant.

[@lifeofintention4711]

Hi from Australia... at our old place we had 4 apple trees around that were massive. The children used them as amazing climbing trees and they produced great apples each year, although the coddling moths thought so too... birds would nest in them (bronze wing pigeons) and they offered shade to other trees around. I was unsure of the variety, but they tasted crisp and delicious fresh from the tree. Thanks for sharing.

[@markharris5544]

As a teenager in the early sixties I worked summers in our family's fifty acre apple orchard. The orchard I believe was planted about the same time as the old orchard you showed, The towering York and Stame Winesap trees were beautiful. I spent many days deep in their folage fifty feet off the ground buried deep in their foliage with a sack over my shoulder that when full weighed half of what I did.

[@BNM-b7t]

0:15 Leaning on the everlasting arms of YAH!! 🎶 HalleluYAH!!!

[@felisconcolor1112]

When I saw the modern orchard layout, I was immediately reminded of the espaliered tree practice, which has been around for millenia, and would make for an excellent intermediate step between traditional large tree and this extreme production-boosting method. In more temperate climates, the use of brick or masonry walls as the backstop for espaliered trees offers the addiitonal benefit of extending the growing season, as the wall's thermal mass serves to keep the tree productive for several additional weeks.

[@RedCurlyQ1]

I was just going to bring up espalier! I’ve seen fruit trees arranged with this into beautiful hedges, and I hope to do this myself someday.

[@elijahsanders3547]

Our Grandparents had 2 granny smith type apple trees (and pears, grapes, cherries, etc) on a gentle sloping hill down to an irregation ditch. They had large trunks, but were relatively short, and had thick branches not far off the ground so we could easily climb them, and very productive, I think my great Grandpa planted them, and my Grandpa pruned them every year (we had a lot of fun with the pruned water shoots :)

[@nellieblighhill4575]

The world is praying for Florida. Goodluck to everyone.

[@coolbreeze8572]

If we're praying what do we need luck for ? Luck does not exist in faith. God be with you all! He sent evacuation hope they listen.

[@loquat4440]

@@coolbreeze8572 I do not have any faith but I will wish people good luck and my part of florida did not get hit by hurricanes.

[@gardengatesopen]

Nice 👍 Hey - Does anyone remember waaay back when a Red Delicious apple really WAS delicious?!!

[@4zooflorida]

When planting my food forest, I was going to keep them smaller. You had recommended the book “plant a little fruit tree”, and I am using the ideas to keep my fruit trees manageable.

[@davidthegood]

It's definitely a good tool. If you have more space, you can just let them reach for the sky - but if you want them small, "Grow a Little Fruit Tree" is a great method.

[@petekooshian5595]

​@@davidthegoodI bought and read this book last year, and it was a STELLAR recommendation!

[@RiversnRootsOutdoors8]

Super cool to see!! Thanks for taking us along Dave! Man, a fort in an apple tree would be epic! Lol

[@debbiesorganicgarden]

Aaron's Orchard in Ellijay, GA just replaced an old orchard with young trees planted only 4 feet from each other. Joshua Aaron is very knowledgeable about how to prune them for the most amount of fruit. So interesting. It may not be too far from where you are located.

[@Huntnlady7]

Great video! My Granny Smith is a tip producer, and my Honey Crisp is a spur producer. Just learned that from you. Good thing I didn't do a second pruning on my Granny Smith in early summer, as some have advised.

[@Latebloomershow]

Very enlightening, TFS!

[@CIB8282]

What you said about dwarf apple trees is true. Our trees produced on their second year, but the weight of the apples caused the trees to lean. We will need to provide better support next year.

[@candacewilliams6869]

Fun to see you heŕe in Michigan talking about our apples! In the nirth there are lots of old pioneer apples. Animals have spread the trees which were planted by native Americans first and then pioneer homesteaders next. We love it in the fall!

[@richardroberts910]

I planted some fruit trees including apple this year. Someone suggested the book Grow a Little Fruit Tree by Ann Ralph. Hopefully using her method, I can keep the trees small enough to be able to harvest them without a ladder.

[@davidthegood]

Definitely.

[@sablegardens]

Wow. All I can say is wow. Never cease to amaze me…and always great comments. Very grateful.

[@lolaseymour1532]

Thanks for getting out there & showing us life beyond our garden gate. Great information.

[@MynewTennesseeHome]

My Grandpa worked seasonally for a nearby orchard in Indiana back in the 50-60's. I remember going with him a couple times to "help". He would climb the ladders and toss fruit to me on the ground... I wasn't a very good catch so I only went a couple times...lol

[@naomi2646]

Thank you David, I enjoyed the visit to the apple orchard. Lovetheopenjng song, Leaning. Sometimes we forget those encouraging hymns, it brought back alot of memories. Hope yall have a safe and fun visit there.

[@theurbanthirdhomestead]

Aah, i miss Michigan, Apple season, cherry season. ❤

[@ThatBritishHomestead]

I think they did so much different and better. Back when there wasn't organic it was just food! Thanks nik

[@bravomalinois8949]

Glad I found you Dave. South Texas gardener here soaking up everybody's wisdom.

[@mgm2008]

Sounds like Espalier. 😊

[@takeitslowhomestead5218]

So interesting! I didn’t know that there were orchards like that! Thanks for taking us along and teaching us.

[@davidthegood]

Thank you - farmers are quite innovative.

[@aaron6315]

Great informative video. Its always a joy to hear and see you. Thank You!

[@rorycallanan7221]

Grafted 4 heritage varieties.(Ireland) Two produced a single apple after four years( still in pots )Super excited for the next year to see if production takes off

[@heartsong111]

Hello from Wyoming, MI! We’re about 10 minutes from Wells Orchard. I loved seeing that. And I love living near the Fruit Ridge. Thanks for this video. 🍎

[@russellm7530]

Hell from Sheridan Wyoming. My grandfather out in western WA had many apple trees bigger than these dwarfs and smaller than those big ones. They were only 8-12 feet tall but wide and with thick trunks with really good apples of a few different kinds. I like all kinds of apples including crab apple trees here.

[@davidthegood]

Beautiful area!

[@CR_TallPinesFa]

Ison’s nursery in Brooks GA sells columnar apple trees.

[@davidthegood]

That is a very good nursery.

[@joangordoneieio]

so interesting. the Village in NM I live in once had apple orchards. there are still huge old trees everywhere with apples free for the picking!

[@vonmajor]

Thank Dave, Explains two of my apple trees

[@maryslattery7529]

This is awesome! Thank you so much for sharing this.

[@kb_family5798]

Thank you for the info! But, thank you, especially, for the verse at the end!

[@briankubik5041]

We tried a different bran this year and we very impressed ( Ginger Gold Crisp ) what a amazing apple sause it makes, not to runny hardly at all and texture to me was just spot on. I am in mid Michigan west of Saginaw you definitely came at a good time and getting away from them hurricanes down in your next of the woods for sure!! Get them apple cider and apple cider donuts to snack and drink on.

[@Ezmoshe1]

Really cool video! Traditional orcharding practices are interesting & practical for the modern day homesteader if they have a little bit of space in the back yard.

[@ProlerSkyphet]

This was actually pretty interesting and news to me thanks i might have to try this out one day!

[@scopescaroutdoors]

Thanks for sharing as usual. Cool video.

[@skades7286]

wonderful video!.... i prefer the full size tree, especially that i have room for a decent permaculture garden......Thanks again!!

[@mjk9388]

I wonder if this type of columnar spacing/pruning could be used for nut production or if that would have any benefit over traditional spacing. Possibly using dwarf varieties of almond or hazelnut.

[@MississippiHomesteadJourney]

I bought a couple Shell apples from Randall. They're doing well in southern Mississippi. I planted them 8 feet apart. I'm doing the food forest thing with blueberries and blackberries between the fruit trees. Looks like a mess, but it keeps the weeds down. lol

[@dawnowens6142]

Thanks for the video. I have about 6 semi dwarf apple trees. I have seen that type of orchard around and have wondered about it. I live in Montague in the country on 17 acres, mostly woods. This an hour west of Grand Rapids near the lakeshore.

[@kimmy_mac]

Well that was interesting. Happy road trip holiday 🙏

[@wildwoodsandhomestead]

We planted dwarf apple trees in zone 3 northern Alberta. We planted them close and in a long trench we first dug. Similar to this method, we’ve also staked the trees with lines for support. The trees are grafted onto what I think might be poplar though. Some of the original tree is sprouting at the bottom of one of the trees. Heading into winter, would you recommend I cut those sprouting branches? Anyone’s suggestions are welcome.

[@rodfreess6019]

They wouldn't grow on poplar, it will be an apple rootstock variety, M9 etc. you can leave the suckers till spring, they might keep the rabbits from damaging the good part of the tree. Unfortunately, rootstocks are CHOSEN for their propensity to sucker, that's how they're reproduced, so this could be an ongoing problem. Prune them in the spring while dormant, or now if the trees are properly protected from mice and rabbits.

[@wildwoodsandhomestead]

@@rodfreess6019 ok thank you! I’ll wait until spring. I’m not sure about rabbits or mice. We live in northern Alberta, zone 3 and so far I haven’t noticed any damage due to mice and rabbits are scarce. All the same I’m nervous to prune just before snow, so I’ll wait until spring when still dormant. Thank you!

[@GoToChurchNow]

I planted 24 semi-dwarf apple trees on my property 5 years ago. They are still a few years from producing. I’m not sure how to handle the chemical issue. I don’t want to use them.

[@myworke-mail339]

David the Good does not spray... live or die. 🥲 I am trying that, but the bugs are kicking my butt this year. I just found out that me slacking on picking up fallen fruit is promoting my pest's lifecycle by giving them a chance to come out of the fruit and burrow into the ground to overwinter. Ug... Lesson learned too late this season. I am trying to promote predators by providing habitat for them too, but may resort to Kaolin Clay on at least half the tree next year. We shall see. Good luck to you, hope this info. helps & God bless! (P.S. Permaculture Orchard has really good info. in his newer stuff too.)

[@carsonrush3352]

Companion plant plenty of small plants that attract beneficial bugs: sunflowers, yarrow, queen anne's lace, basil, mint, oregano, thyme, cilantro, clover, and so many others. Anything from the aster or carrot families will really work. The objective is to let all of them go to seed, and the pollinators are omnivores that eat your pests along with the flower pollen. Praying mantises love brambles (90 degree branches are ideal for their egg sacks). Wolf spiders love ground cover and straw. Ground beetles love solitary bunching grasses for nesting. If you build it, they will come.

[@natehunter2961]

Something is off about your apple trees, trees can flower basically right away and can reach the target 8-10 ft tall in 3 years. The reason people like semi dwarf trees is because they can get fruit in 2-3 years

[@GoToChurchNow]

I am very hands off my trees. I don’t water or fertilize. I finally trimmed them this year to remove nonproductive branches. The bases grew quite a bit this summer. Next summer I’ll put in irrigation.

[@evelyncutler7164]

I've just started growing fruit trees from seed in pots. Don't know how it's going to turn out, but I have about an 18 inch apple tree that I'm preparing for winter. Thank you for the information.

[@stephenluna7932]

that's cool I had no idea

[@chezelleconroy2951]

Nice! Thank you

[@user-jc2ez6ig5z]

beautiful apples

[@GoToChurchNow]

Good afternoon. I think I saw you on Saturday at Sacred Heart. I thought you looked familiar. Welcome to the GR area.

[@davidthegood]

Thank you - I was there!

[@davidthegood]

Absolutely magnificent church, and the Mass was wonderful.

[@krismell5935]

Nice video.

[@paul.1337]

I kind of want to try starting seedlings from local crabapples that look healthy without anyone caring for them. Then graft a Bud 9 (or other dwarfing rootstock) interstem, and then graft the desired variety on top of that. Get a people-sized tree with an elephant-sized root system that don't need no man (watering it). Probably get root suckers, but pruning those off a couple trees twice a year takes like five minutes.

[@maroosk]

awesome to see, wow. i love that.

[@loves2spin2]

This is so interesting! I have two semi-dwarf Transparent apple trees that I planted 30 years ago. Through lack of knowledge and a lot of neglect, they are totally out of control with LOTS of the little sucker branches. I have no idea what to do. I sometimes think I should just cut them down, but I hate to do that and am old enough now that I probably won't have time to grow another one and really get fruit.

[@davidthegood]

Take pics in winter when the branches are bare, then email them to me. I will help you figure it out.

[@loves2spin2]

@@davidthegood thank you! I will. You're going to be shocked.

[@PermieIslandBird]

I think these methods are good if you are short on space or need commercial production. But there are benefits to large trees too. Deep roots bring up minerals to surrounding plants, shade for herbs, lots of carbon material and the birds can eat the top fruit

[@Fulkersons]

I always enjoy your videos. I just watched a video that seems like it would be right up your alley. It on KZbin "How to grow apples in warmer grow zones!!!". It's about an experiment where he's planted 31 high chill hours in Orange county (Southern California). He isn't doing anything special, and is getting great production. With your just do it attitude, I thought you would enjoy this guy doing what common knowledge says he can't do.

[@davidthegood]

Thank you - bookmarked.

[@oprier3075]

How is the qualitie of thoses apples in this kind of production method ? Does it need treatment ?

[@Latebloomershow]

Been in TN now four seasons and not the first apple. Or cherry, or plum or pomegranate or pear. Sigh. Planted all those.

[@rachaelyounger5657]

okay, so what about trees I sprouted from seed? I've got 3 (4?) that survived the summer in the ground. I figure if they don't bear fruit, I've got apple wood for my smoker. Can I still keep them small?

[@davidthegood]

Yes, you can keep them small. They often take 6-10 years to produce from seed.

[@rachaelyounger5657]

Thanks! That's what I thought after reading "grow a little fruit tree". I'm interested in those apple trees that your friend is growing for Alabama. I wonder if they would do well here. We are zone 8b as of 2023. June to September can be brutal here. That's when I kill most of what I'm growing.

[@harrymusgrave2131]

The ladders are called spikes. Due to the two spikes at the base. In northern California gravenstene apples were grown. Semi dwarf trees. 25 to 40 feet tall. There is an occasional full size tree. 100 foot tall . The lower limbs were big enough for two teenagers to walk on.

[@davidthegood]

That would be amazing to see.

[@veggiemikeellis]

There is a happy medium. I use semi dwarf rootstock with proper pruning. I keep my apples about 12 feet tall.

[@timothytorres26]

this is wild compared to the way they do it in New England. thanks for sharing!

[@davidthegood]

I would like to see how they are growing them there. Email me pictures if you have them.

[@timothytorres26]

@@davidthegood i'll try to visit an orchard today.. will do! thnx for responding to me!

[@davidthegood]

Thank you!

[@TheDiversifiedFarmer]

Like the Matrix for Apples

[@peterwhelan6144]

I must say I prefer things as Nature intended .

[@LittleKi1]

I have three columnar apples from on semi-dwarf (not dwarf!) stock coming from Raintree nursery in the spring. It's my effort to come up with a food forest design that actually works in the rainy/low light climate west of the Cascades. I'm hoping I can put one of these at the end of each in-ground bed and they can get the benefit of the irrigation that is already in place while not shading out everything below them. Sometimes it's OK to steal from commercial horticulture....

[@jonathansmith4712]

You should come to the National Apple Harvest festival in PA. It’s this weekend.

[@davidthegood]

I wish I could.

[@lis819]

Please, what tune is that in the intro and at the end?

[@davidthegood]

"Leaning on the Everlasting Arms."

[@CLHHighlights]

I've bein to Michigan

[@user-ic2ug8ys1z]

1st thumbs up! 😀🌱🐢

[@happyhobbit8450]

I got over 500 apples off one tree ... they're not real big but this year was a bust for all the other fruit trees here

[@JasonChristopher44]

Do you have any recommendations for the getting some good dwarf? For Maryland area, I know we can do apples impeaches. I definitely want to get some dwarf apples, something that I could get.That's not gonna take me a few years to see apples

[@davidthegood]

I would call local nurseries.

[@GrandmomZoo]

Nice!!!!!❤

[@alpinereid5265]

Can dwarf columnar apple trees be grown in large containers?

[@MikeDawson1]

what kind of dwarfing rootstock, do you know? like is it m27 or m26?

[@davidthegood]

I didn't find that out from the owner. Good question.

[@jacobbrizammito7187]

What is drought tolerance like with dwarf rootstock. I imagine these are all on drip irrigation. I worked at apple farm one year. Lots of laborious ladder work.

[@davidthegood]

Yeah. Not good.

[@sgmarr]

I have a pear tree like those 100 yr apple trees. All the fruit is WAY above where i can reach it!

[@mealbla7097]

YT has stopped sending me your videos when they come out. 🤔 geeat video!

[@culdesacgrocerygarden]

I didn't know that dwarf trees are weaker, thank you

[@4evermetalhead79]

How about a combination? Say, plant dwarf and semi dwarf and full sized apple trees (or any other trees for that matter) one next to the other. The hope is that dwarfs will produce early until semi dwarfs produce then just wait until the full sized apple trees stat to produce. Would that make sense? And if it does, would it make sense to cut down the dwarfs or semi dwarfs in each succession? Or just let it be? And maybe not in a monoculture fashion (e.g. only apples) but a plethora of trees with same strategy.

[@NikClinton]

Hey everyone!

[@lilspittin313]

Bring back some of the `goodol' days!

[@yougoman1]

Are these harvested by a big machine or by hand?

[@davidthegood]

I believe by hand, but I didn't get to see them being harvested.

[@geirkselim2697]

That tree from the 30s could very well be a dwarf tree that was not pruned to the modern reachable shape. The apple tree would likely grow like a maple if left to its own devices.

[@qualqui]

Wow, didn't know apple trees had lifespans of a 100 years!🎉🍎🍏

[@justinskeans3342]

For sure up here in MI no problem we have a few on my old back 40 easy 120 years old

[@suefonder7468]

Wow

[@rheac953]

There’s a guy in California that orchards differently. Makes square holes or triangle . Puts one tree in each corner, about a foot apart. They self dwarf to a degree, seems like Wilson was his name.

[@davidthegood]

Dave Wilson, yes!

[@ekbergiw]

If I had those skyscraper trees at some point I'd just get tired of picking and decide to raise giraffe.

[@ProlerSkyphet]

These look easier to replace. Losing a huge tree to disease would be a bummer

[@macropin]

Thanks for posting this. Sadly, it's almost impossible to buy apple trees here that aren't on dwarf stock. I'm going to have to reconsider where I plant any dwarfs as I don't want them to fall over in the high winds we get here.

[@davidthegood]

You can plant apple seeds, then graft whatever type you like on the seedlings, giving you "standard" form.

[@macropin]

@@davidthegood Yes, I'm planing to do that. Following the "trees from seeds movement"!

[@user-xb7sj2uk4u]

Shame there's no option to share pictures on here so you have to take my word for it. When I grew up in the country side in rural Germany we had a rather big garden. We had a peach tree, a plum tree and a sour cherry tree on one half of the back garden and a massive sweet cherry tree (you needed a very long ladder for that, so unfortunately the birds had the majority of the fruit right from the top branches) and two apple trees. They were rather small, maybe 5 or 6 metres high and about 4 metres apart from each other. Think they were Bramley apples, because the apples were quite big. Anyway, one of those trees was my 'space station'. It had a lovely fork just high enough up the trunk to easily climb up and sit in with another fork at 90 degrees angle opposite, which made perfect handles. Talking 1970s here. Couldn't wait each year for the first apples to ripen and we're sick to the back teeth by mid winter of eating apples and apple puree. I think, when my parents eventually sold the house the next owners got rid of all the trees. Shame, but at least I got some pictures and found memories of climbing and harvesting all those trees when growing up.

[@munchkyn56]

Hmmm... Shell apples have a 600 to 650 chill hour requirement. I live in South Georgia and rarely get more than 400 chill hours. I'm a little surprised that you have the appropriate chill hours where you are located. Is there something I am missing?

[@davidthegood]

They grow in Flomaton and Brewton, zone 8b, and the chill hours were low the last couple of years and they still produced very well. Chances are that the chill hours were estimated for your source, and aren't solid. Also, apple chill hours are a little suspect, as some supposedly high-chill types will fruit in much warmer climates than most think.

[@munchkyn56]

@@davidthegood Good to know. Thanks, David!

[@Mindy56743]

The problems I have found is the old trees produced apples that seeds where true to the breed. A Jonathan apple tree would make Jonathan apples for the most part. Trying to find seed is impossible anymore and I have looked like crazy. I live on 30 acres and thought that I could start seeds like my grandmother did back in the 70’s to grow apple trees. Yes they did not produce a good harvest for almost 10 years but they tasted so good.

[@rodfreess6019]

No, apple varieties never bred true to variety, they've always been grafted to get true varieties, or grown from seed sometimes and used for cider, where a variety of otherwise inedible apples makes a superior cider.

[@nickkitchener6155]

I appreciate the innovation, but I suspect nature will come in and regulate that modern system harder than the tree fort model.

[@nicholasmacinnis1486]

Were you once interviewed by Christian Westbrook ( aka ice age farmer) ? Any idea whereabouts he is these days or how he’s doing

[@davidthegood]

Yes. No, no idea.

[@justinskeans3342]

DAVID WTH MAN your in my neck of the woods. Come check my place out got a small permuculture yard. I love Wells orchard go there all the time. Im over in grandville come stop on by!

[@heartsong111]

Hello neighbor!

[@justinskeans3342]

@@heartsong111 hello 😁

[@not1moreinch332]

How does "Anna" apple do in your area?

[@davidthegood]

It does well.

[@rheac953]

Shell apples?

[@davidthegood]

Yes, that's the Southern variety from Brewton, Alabama.

[@rheac953]

@@davidthegood I’m in Dallas TX. 8b. Wonder how they’d do here.