Preserving Colorado’s Apple History One Graft At A Time

Preserving Colorado’s Apple History One Graft At A Time AG WORLD More than 150 years after the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush lured thousands of prospectors to Colorado one couple is working to save a less known treasure that came on the heels of gold - apples Jude and Addie Schuenemeyer founded the Montezuma Orchard Restoration Project MORP a 501C3 organization in 2008 to preserve the state’s apple-growing heritage Part of that includes grafting scions from trees planted in the late 1800’s onto rootstock and selling or planting the young trees in orchards to reestablish some of the 400 or more varieties that were grown in Colorado before 1930 The Schuenemeyers became aware of the state’s apple history when they operated a nursery and older customers would ask about old apple varieties they remembered as children such as Yellow Transparent apples “We decided to see if we could find those old trees We have the largest number of 70 to 150 year-old trees anywhere in the country ” Jude Schuenemeyer says Big orchards were planted to help feed the gold miners and residents and the orchard industry thrived throughout the state until the 1890’s when the coddling moth came in and destroyed crops Despite the removal of many orchards apples remained the dominant fruit crop throughout the state Peaches and cherries were introduced later and did well in some areas At altitudes of 6 500 to 7 000-ft the coddling moth didn’t bother apple trees quite as much as in lower altitude counties in the southwest With a USDA Specialty Crop block grant MORP collected nearly 500 spring leaf samples for DNA testing About 60 came back with named varieties - some common some rare such as the American Summer Pearmain part of the apple family that is often shaped like a pear though this variety is small and round Another 40 were unknown but matched samples from trees and another 100 came back unique unknown likely varieties considered extinct MORP is purchasing 35 acres near Dolores Colo in partnership with the Nature Conservancy to preserve Colorado’s rare and endangered apple varieties and demonstrate water conservation in orchards “It will be a living orchard that serves as a genetic bank and living classroom ” Schuenemeyer says “We can keep it into perpetuity ” There will also be a packing shed so that apples can be shipped and marketed in the region Times have changed from when high production limited the number of varieties by choosing commodity over diversity “Consumers want something different More people want local foods so there’s more potential consumer demand ” Schuenemeyer says They are rediscovering old varieties such as the Thunderbolt apple which is a winter variety It’s hard when harvested but gets sweeter and juicer after it’s in storage and the sugars come out For further insurance to preserve genetics MORP has worked with schools and other groups to plant the trees in many orchards around the state People interested in the apple project can support it through MORP or purchase trees Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Montezuma Orchard Restoration Project 17312 Rd G Cortez Colo 81321 ph 970 565-3099; www montezumaorchard org; morp@montezumaorchard org

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