Yesterday we made a pilgrimage to the site of the original Northern Spy apple tree. The tree is long gone, but a monument to the tree, erected by the Ontario Fruit Growers County Association nearly 100 years ago, still stands. I’ve long known the orchard had been located in the town of East Bloomfield, NY, but only this summer did I track down exactly where it was located. It is about an hour and fifteen minutes from our house.
Friends grow the other two varieties mentioned, and I’ve tasted and enjoyed them and am hoping that grafts of both will take so that in a few years Melon and Early Joe trees will be fruiting in our orchard. We already have two Northern Spy trees.
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Thanks for the post about the original tree! I have northern spy in SE WI and it does well for me. The fruit gets really big. Some are too big for me to eat for fresh use. Makes a really unusual flavored apple sauce that my family enjoys.
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Anything remain of the orchard?
It is all field and pasture, now. The apple tree that can be seen in the picture was planted much more recently. Its fruits looked more like Red Spies than Northern Spies to me, however.
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A favorite variety of mine, my NS tree has a few on it this year.
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I discovered an old family photo from circa 1943 when my parents (pictured in the top right) gathered for a reunion at my mom’s family homestead in Indiana County, Pennsylvania. I share it because of the tree in the background. It is a Northern Spy.
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Grafts were successful, although it took me longer for Early Joe. The Melon tree produces enjoyable, sprightly tasting apples, more tart than sweet. Still waiting on two Early Joe trees.
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