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News from Garfield Farm |
Learn how to grow you own antique apple
trees at Garfield Farm Museum’s 20th annual Apple Tree Grafting
Seminar on Sunday, March 4 at 1:30pm. Participants will make and take
home 3 tree grafts of heirloom nursery stock variety to plant in the
spring. Tree expert Dan Bussey leads the seminar and will bring several
different varieties of scions from his orchard in Edgerton, WI where he
propagates over 350 rare and endangered varieties.
What makes the grafting process so important
is that it attaches a root to the old stock, preserving the old stock's
unique genetic traits. An apple seed may not grow into the same exact
type of tree from which it came. Like animals, most plants, such as
apple trees, receive genes from two parents. Just planting the seeds of
a tree doesn’t guarantee the genetic signature of the tree will
be saved, just as children are not exact copies of their parents. Only
grafting can preserve the exact type.
The grafting process itself has been used for
thousands of years. The process itself is relatively simple. A small
branch or “scion” of the desired tree is attached to a
small rootstock. The root used for the seminar is a smaller, dwarf
variety that is good for a backyard or small orchard. Different
varieties of apples are good for various things. For instance some are
better for cider, while others may be better for baking or keeping
longer in storage. At the beginning of the twentieth century, there
were over 7000 different varieties of apples. Now there are less then
2000 varieties available. Not only is keeping a multitude of apples in
existence important for our heritage, but also for their many of uses.
The mass markets of today are looking for good multi-purpose apples.
With the farmer population and orchard acreage dwindling it is
important to be pro-active.
Dan Bussey has been the instructor
of the seminar since its inception twenty years ago. His efforts
recognized by the Seed Saver’s Exchange of Decorah, IA, which had
its own conservation orchard of heritage apple varieties. Mr. Bussey
will bring scions from his historic varieties for grafting. He can also
instruct participants on how to care for their grafts until they are
planted. If time allows, the group will go out to the museum's orchard
and given instruction on pruning their trees once they are established.
There is a $25 donation for the class
and reservations are required. Participants should bring a sharp knife.
Call the museum at (630) 584-8485, or email at info@garfieldfarm.org.
Garfield Farm Museum is located 5 miles west of Geneva, IL off ILL Rt.
38 on Garfield Road. The 370-acre site is a historically intact former
1840s farm and teamster inn being restored as an 1840s working farm
museum by volunteers and donors from around the country.