The Democrat apple variety, found in Yancey County, North Carolina.
What do you plan to do in your retirement?
Brown was introduced to several heritage applesvarieties of the fruit which were standardized in the 18th and 19th centuries.
The Democrat apple variety, found in Yancey County, North Carolina.
To date, he has rediscovered over 1,200 varieties of historic apples.
Appalachia has a long history of apple orchards.
The climate allows for a variety of crops.
The Gruff Apple, found in Iredell County, NC.
The apples are eaten, cooked, fried, and fermented.
The number of apple types in this region have likely numbered over 14,000 across the United States by 1905.
At that time, food production and consumption was more localized than the international produce market of today.
The Stine (McAfee) Apple.
Some of the richest variety in apples was found along the east coast, particularly in the rural south.
Many small farms boasted apple trees and local orchards offered a rich array.
The consumer and technological shifts of the 20th century reduced American apple offerings.
The Black Beauty Apple, which eventually matures into a mostly black-colored fruit, found in Yadkin County, NC.
According toAtlas Obscura, by the late 20th century, only 100 apple types were grown commercially.
Orchards were abandoned, destroyed, neglected, or lost to encroaching forest.
As a result, thousands of varietals seemingly vanished from the palate of the nation.
The Mongolian Apple, found in Carroll County, VA.
These breeds lie on the edge of living memory.
The Gruff Apple, found in Iredell County, NC.
Brown began his websiteApple Searchin the quest for these lost pieces of culinary history.
The Lazarus Apple, found in Wilkes County, NC.
He spends much of his time driving around Appalachia, literally knocking on doors and talking about apples.
At times, Brown heads off in search of an old orchard mentioned in historical records.
Many of the people who provide him with locations of existing trees are in their 80s or 90s.
The Big Red Apple, found in Haywood County, NC.
When he finds a treeeither in someone’s backyard or deep in an overgrown orchardBrown takes cuttings for study.
He compares leaf and tree characteristics with notes in records from old orchards, witness accounts, and botanists.
He revisits the trees when they bear fruit, checking the apples against his notes.
The Polk Seedling Apple, found in Alexander County, NC.
Brown describes his work as that of a detective.
The Stine (McAfee) Apple.
One particular victory for Brown’sApple Searchwas the re-discovery of aJunaluska apple.
The Tenderskin Apple, found in Alexander County, NC.
When Brown finds a variety of apple, he often takes cuttings to donate to heritage apple orchards.
He also has his own collection of trees and sells saplings every year.
Brown’s devotion toApple Searchwill save these unique fruits for generations to come.
The Red Horse Apple, found in Wilkes County, NC.
Visit his website for more information on how you’re able to help with the search.
Retired engineer Tom Brown has been searching for Appalachia’s lost heritage apples.
Brown uses historical records and word of mouth to find long-lost trees.
The Barker’s Liner Apple, found in Wilkes County, NC.
The Lazarus Apple, found in Wilkes County, NC.
The Big Red Apple, found in Haywood County, NC.
The Polk Seedling Apple, found in Alexander County, NC.
The Tenderskin Apple, found in Alexander County, NC.
The Red Horse Apple, found in Wilkes County, NC.
The Barker’s Liner Apple, found in Wilkes County, NC.
