American Heirloom Cider Apples Part Two

Series: American Heirloom Apples

Tags: Cider

Illustrations by Christine Jopling

Things you will learn

Collectors, preservationists and orchard restoration

Collaborating with indigenous communities

Geotyping, seed banking and cataloguing

Indigenous Americans and women in early cidermaking

Plant genetics and DNA profiling

Diversity of U.S. heirloom cultivars

Colonial history and Racism in cidermaking

Further resources and information

Ruvani de Silva

A travel-loving beer writer, with a host of bylines, Ruvani blogs about beer in Central Texas and beyond, as Craft Beer Amethyst. A vocal advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion in beer. As a British South Asian woman living in Texas, Ruvani brings a unique voice to the world of craft beer. Michael Jackson Beer Writer of the Year 2024.

Lost apples, found again
Hiding in plain sight
Preserving living history
The academics
Magic apples
The orchardists and cidermakers
Hubs of heirloom apple conservation
The apple detectives
Approaching heirloom apples’ dual histories
Seed savers

Lost apples, found again

Welcome back cider-lovers. Now that we’ve run through some key elements of the history of American heirloom cider apples, we’ll move into the present. This second installment will investigate how some of these apples are returning or have been returned to orchards around the country, who brought them back, how and why, and to what use they are being put. It will also explore the stories of some fabled ‘lost’ apples, some dramatic and remarkable recovery adventures, and the semi-secret subculture of ‘apple detectives’ and the academics who are developing new scientific methodologies to identify their finds.

This piece will also consider the contemporary ramifications of the histories discussed in Part One, and will raise questions and ideas about how everyone with a relationship to American heirloom cider apples, from academics and orchardists to cidermakers and cider drinkers, can acknowledge the parallel historical dynamics of these apples in ways that are positive and empathetic. With input from key individuals and organisations working with American heirloom cider apples, Part Two will offer a thorough and rounded picture of how they are being discovered, identified, cultivated and used in cidermaking today.

Illustration of a basket of labelled American Heirloom Apples. The apples are varied in their colour, some are green, some red, pink and yellow. They are drawn with a grey background. Illustration by Christine Jopling ©

Illustration of an encyclopedia with apples as the main images and a book shelf with green books. 'Bussey's Apple Encyclopedia' is written on a gold certificate style banner on the top shelf. Illustration by Christine Jopling ©

Hiding in plain sight

We closed off Part One thinking about the multiple forces that converged to end the primacy of cider as the most popular alcoholic beverage in America and the cultivation of heirloom apple orchards, and how these circumstances led to the loss of a substantial portion of Bussey’s 16,350 catalogued varieties. Sadly, many of these varieties are indeed gone for good – but conversely, for the very same reasons these apples were lost, some are in fact alive and well, hiding in plain sight and ripe (as it were) for rediscovery. The history of American heirloom apples is peppered with stories of the ‘ones that got away.’ Philip Schulyer (of Hamilton fame), was so protective of his homegrown cider apple variety (unnamed) that he guarded it jealously, refusing to share scions with even his closest friends. This unfortunately meant that its deliciousness died with him. Jefferson’s beloved Taliaferro, long believed to have gone the same way, is currently in the process of being reidentified by Washington State University, a huge coup for heirloom cider apple lovers and further justification to continue their hunting.

America is big. Really really big. 3,532,316 square miles of land big. It’s an easy place to get lost in, and that’s as true for apple trees as it is for humans. Between the massive 47% of unpopulated land and substantial sparsely or seasonally populated areas, there’s plenty of space for a hardy apple tree to hide out undetected, offering its rare fruit to local fauna. Similarly, rural homes and farmlands can be home to heirloom varieties, with owners unaware of the lineage of their fruit. This is why three distinct but collaborative groups are working successfully to recover, record, propagate and utilise as many ‘lost’ varieties as possible, each with a different emphasis to their work but with the shared goal of protecting and enjoying these distinctive fruits.

Illustration of a goat eating apples that are pink off of a tree. The image features bushes and grass which is coloured green. Illustration by Christine Jopling ©

An illustration that has three different sections, reading Academics, Orchardists & Cidermakers and Apple Detectives. The backgrounds for these sections are dark grey, green and light grey and feature images of different arms holding an apple in their palms. Illustration by Christine Jopling ©

Preserving living history

At universities across the US, projects including orchard restoration, geotyping, seed banking and cataloguing complement the work of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in preserving and propagating heirloom varieties in an academic capacity. Meanwhile, curious and experimental orchardists and cidermakers are cultivating both ‘lost’ and lasting heirloom varieties to make high quality ciders exploring the flavour potentials offered by ‘craft’ non-domesticated hyperlocal apples. At the same time, a dedicated subculture of amateur ‘apple detectives’ spend their spare time on the hunt for ‘lost’ varieties, combing their local countrysides in the hope of identifying unique specimens and saving them from extinction.

Several key members of each of these groups have come together under the umbrella of the Historic Fruit Tree Working Group (HFTWG) – an interdisciplinary collaborative preservation network bringing together a full gamut of skills and expertise to ‘identify, document, preserve and utilise’ these cultivars. For members of this group and others working inside each niche of apple preservation, this work is something of a vocation, a belief in the value of heirloom cider apples as living history. “For us, to pass back a tree that was grafted by someone’s grand or great grandparents is priceless,” explains Addie Schuenemeyer, codirector of Colorado’s Montezuma Orchard Restoration Project and a member of the HFTWG. This passion drives the work of these groups and individuals and has led to the rediscovery of hundreds of believed-lost varieties now being cultivated for craft cider.

The academics

At multiple universities across the US, projects focusing on preservation, identification, cataloguing, qualitative analysis and hybridisation of heirloom cider apples are ongoing. Cornell University is located in Ithaca NY, right in the heart of the Fingers Lake cider region. Their College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is home to extensive academic research covering all areas of cider production, with a dedicated website offering resources including an online library exhibit, a range of historical texts on heirloom apples and cider production and a myriad of contemporary research, as well as a database of 375 apple varieties. For scholars, orchardists, historians and curious cider fans, the site offers a wealth of information about how different apple characteristics and growing conditions affect cider quality, why heirloom varieties produce tastier cider and information on undergraduate courses offered in pomology and cider production for those wanting to get fully hands on.

Illustration of different groups of varying style of apple. There is big dog, lady, ben davis, chenahao strawberry, harmon, munson sweet, blue permain, nodhead, mother, doldo crab and starkey. Illustration by Christine Jopling ©

Illustration of someone painting an apple, with the paintbrush in one hand and the other holding the apple which is being drawn. The image itself is all in brown colour and there features a brown apple as well in the picture. Illustration by Christine Jopling ©

Heirloom cider apples also make up part of the USDA’s extensive work on plant genetics, with their Plant Genetic Resources Unit in Geneva NY and their Agricultural Genetic Resources Preservation Research in Fort Collins CO both housing apple collections for ongoing study and propagation projects. Their Pomological Watercolor Collection is a crucial resource for identifying heirloom apples. Initially commissioned to assist farmers recognise and understand new cultivars, the collection was created between 1886 and 1942 and documents over 7,500 fruit and nut varieties, including a wide range of heirloom apples, many now considered lost.

Magic apples

Michigan State University is home to the Great Lakes Cider Apple Collection, with projects, publications and resources to support local growers and academics. Montana State University’s Western Agricultural Research Centre offers similar in their region, with their Montana Heritage Orchard Program offering resources and support to the 70+ orchards registered on their site. Meanwhile at the University of Georgia, associate professor of history Stephen Mihm joined forces with the UGA Cooperative Extension agent for Cherokee County Joshua Fuder to plant UGA’s Heritage Mountain Orchard, a new initiative to propagate local heirloom Georgia apples, and part of UGA’s Georgia Mountain Research & Education Center. Both Mihm and Fuder come from non-agricultural backgrounds but found their curiosities piqued on discovering heirloom varieties on their properties, such is the spell these apples cast.

Illustration of two men smiling and looking at each other with a background behind them of drawings of apples and a pink background. Illustration by Christine Jopling ©

Illustration of a man and his test tubes, two of which are filled with yellow liquid and one with red. He is wearing safety goggles which have a splattering of red dots on the, and has small spikes of ginger hair coming out of the top of the image. Illustration by Christine Jopling ©

Washington State University is the home of arguably the most significant resource in heirloom apple identification to date: their Apple genome sequencing initiative. This project creates DNA profiling for each unique apple variety, allowing scientists to isolate individual varieties and their parents through a hugely complex process of comparative data testing, giving each variety its own DNA fingerprint. Cameron Peace, professor of tree fruit genetics in the Department of Horticulture at Washington State University, and his team, built the database starting from DNA profiles collected in the federally funded and U.S.-wide “RosBREED” research project (2009-2019) and other research. They have grown and transformed the dataset by “crowdsourcing the DNA testing of thousands of old trees in collections, National Parks, State Forests, old orchards, and backyards”, to create MyFruitTree.org, “the only publicly accessible endeavor for apple cultivar identification and pedigree positioning focusing on the wider diversity of U.S. heirloom cultivars.” This brilliant resource means that anyone who discovers an unidentified apple can send it straight to the WSU lab for testing and discover its profile and heritage, and whether or not it has already been listed. For heirloom apple nerds, this is a gamechanger, and for orchardists and cidermakers looking for the best varieties to enhance their beverages, the database offers a wealth of resources for determining suitability. Which brings us to this next group.

The orchardists and cidermakers

The preservation projects dedicated to understanding and cultivating heirloom cider apples are labours of love. Absolutely no one is getting rich from heirloom cider – the orchardists and cidermakers working with these apples have a very niche market. Cider holds just a tiny fraction of US alcohol market share – currently estimated at just 1%, although it is growing. While no precise statistics are available on the percentage of cider currently made from heirloom apples nationwide, the 2022 Virginia Cider Apple Report notes that just 16% of apples grown in Virginia are used for cidermaking. Of those, a massive 94% are domesticated dessert apples, with just 2% specialty heirloom cultivars. However, heirloom apples are a key ingredient for craft cidermakers focused on quality and flavour, and the care and passion with which they are being cultivated attests to their culinary and cultural value. Cideries with their own orchards grow hyperlocal heirlooms, showing off the rich regional diversity of these apples. Washington State’s Finnriver, North Dakota’s Cottonwood Cider House, Maine’s Apple Farm and Pennsylvania’s Big Hill Cidery are all examples of cidermaking orchardists cultivating local varieties to make terroir-focused cider onsite.

Illustration of a small house which is painted red and white with a green set of bushes growing apples behind it. In front of the house there is a red tractor and some more green grass. Illustration by Christine Jopling ©

Illustration of three different glass jars with hops inside of them. All of which have white labels inside them signifying what is inside, they are: Pink Flamingo, Russet and Fuel Service, a silver spoon is in front of them. Illustration by Christine Jopling ©

Hubs of heirloom apple conservation

Dedicated conservation hubs might not make cider themselves but their role in preserving and propagating heirloom apples is as significant as that of academic institutions and the USDA. Nonprofits such as fifty-year-old Seed Savers, Maine Heritage Orchard, the Montezuma Orchard Restoration Project and the Temperate Orchard Conservancy are community and agriculture-focused hubs with extensive catalogues, educational programs and grower outreach such as seed swaps and scion exchanges to facilitate the preservation of heirloom varieties, with Temperate alone home to over 5,000 distinct apple varieties. Farm orchards such as Scott Farm in Vermont, who host an annual celebration of heirloom apples, Foggy Ridge in Virginia, whose founder Diane Flynt has written an authoritative history of Southern heirloom apples, and Big Horse Creek in North Carolina undertake similar work on a smaller and more localised scale. Interaction with the apple-curious public is an essential part of the work of these organisations – both to share education about apple history and flavour and create an interest in heirloom cider, and in terms of locating ‘lost’ apples. This is where the ‘apple detectives’ come in.

The apple detectives

Across the US, enthusiastic collectors have been bitten by the heirloom apple bug. With time and dedication, educated individuals explore historic orchard sites, abandoned homesteads and remote forests looking for forgotten fruit. Following in the footsteps of army veteran and fabled self-taught agronomist Creighton ‘Lee’ Calhoun, ‘the saviour of Southern apples’, and Virginia’s ‘Professor Apple’ Tom Burford, pomologist sleuths spend their free time seeking out ones that got away.

In the Northwest, former FBI agent Dave Benscoter had his curiosity piqued while tending a friend’s garden. On discovering her trees included rare Yellow Transparent and Wealthy varieties as well as some unknown ones, he began his hunt to identify them, beginning with Calhoun’s seminal volume Old Southern Apples. Like Calhoun, Benscoter spends his time travelling locally to potential discovery sites, and has expanded his reach with his Lost Apple Project, working with other volunteers to identify and graft heirlooms and selling scions to orchardists. “To me, the history of how important apples were to the first settlers in the west is the most compelling story,” says Benscoter. While Benscoter says he can only identify “a dozen or so apples” himself, by working with professionals such as Cameron Peace and the MyFruitTree project, the Lost Apple Project has discovered and catalogued 29 presumed-lost heirlooms to date.

Illustration of an apple detective who is painted in dark red and pink with a magnifying glass looking at a lone apple sitting on a green field of grass. Illustration by Christine Jopling ©

Illustration of a man holding an apple in each hand and smiling at the camera. He is wearing green and has round glasses and a green flat cap on, he is wearing a top that has green apples on it as well. Illustration by Christine Jopling ©

Over in Maine, ‘Apple Whisperer’ John Bunker has been collecting local varieties since the 1970s, using the same methods as Benscoter and Calhoun, chatting with older local residents and often knocking on strangers’ doors to identify trees on their property. Self-taught Bunker formed the Fedco Seeds, a member-owned scion and information-sharing cooperative, and his expertise was intrinsic to the formation of the Maine Heritage Orchard, discussed earlier. Bunker currently divests his love for pomology cultivating rare varieties at his Out on a Limb orchard, an off-grid project focused on unusual, historic and rare varieties from Maine and around the world. Bunker’s daily blog entries catalogue his experiences, offering insights and advice to prospective orchardists and a beautiful, detailed account of his life as an heirloom orchardist.

While these and many other collectors have taken their hobbies full-time, anyone can be an amateur apple archivist. MyFruitTree.org is currently developing their RegisTREE app so that you can capture potential heirlooms on and offline for identification. The possibilities for discovery are endless.

Approaching heirloom apples’ dual histories

For organisations dedicated to preserving heirloom apples, there are obviously complicated questions around the conflicting and challenging aspects of these apples’ histories, as described in Part One. A key part of this preservation is honest acknowledgment of how these apples came to exist, and collaborative community endeavours to make positive changes. While these initiatives are yet to be universal, they are being undertaken by a growing number of groups. At Finnriver, which is Certified Organic, Certified B Corps and Salmon Safe, a holistic and responsible approach is taken. Their team worked with a local writer to research to research histories of Indigenous Americans and women in early cidermaking which they share on their site, along with an acknowledgement statement, further reading resources and action and accountability plan. They also support their local indigenous community, fundraising for initiatives including the Longhouse for the People Project “Part of the Finnriver mission has always been to grow community so we had to investigate our own understanding of ‘community’ and expand our literacy around equity, bias and the legacies of oppression — and commit to exploring what inclusivity could look like here, “ says cofounder Crystie Kisler.

Illustration of different longhouses with smoke coming out of the top of them. They are coloured in brown and are sitting on a field of green grass. Illustration by Christine Jopling ©

Illustration of people all of which have brown hair with a beige background behind them, the drawings are representing the Motezuma Orchard Project. Illustration by Christine Jopling ©

The Montezuma Orchard Restoration Project cofounders Addie and Jude Schuenemeyer wrote Colorado’s Fruit Growing History: Historic Context of Orchards, which offers a deep-dive into how Colorado’s colonial history affected its orchards based on primary sources. “Of course, it was no coincidence that Colorado’s first orchards were planted in the same time frames as the Sand Creek Massacre on the Front Range and the forced removal of the Ute Tribes to the corner of Southwest Colorado and into Utah. Relearning the accurate fruit history of Colorado has been a humbling process and one filled with grief,” says Addie Schuenemeyer. As well as their role as educators, Montezuma use their tree donation and outreach programs to connect with local indigenous communities, such as their recent work with farmers of Acoma Pueblo to plant over 50 rare and endangered heirloom apple trees.

Seed savers

Seed Savers also believe in the importance of both acknowledgement and action. “[Heirloom apples have] a beautiful story of resilience and adaptability, and yet it has an incredibly ugly underbelly. That complexity should be reflected in how we tell these stories. And this isn’t specific to apples, but apples represented permanency in colonial America in a way that a lot of other crops didn’t,” explains orchard manager Jamie Hanson. “If we’re serious about equity, then we have a responsibility to act in solidarity with the communities whose histories of oppression are entangled with the plant material we preserve.” Seed Savers are currently working with the North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NCR-SARE) that supports three Indigenous-led organizations in planting apple orchards on their land. A recent project focused on preserving a 200-year-old apple tree grown from seed by Oneida people who were forcibly relocated to the area in the 1820s, with Hanson assisting the tribe in growing 40 new trees which were distributed to community members.

Illustration of a tree with a green background. Illustration by Christine Jopling ©

Heritage, History and Heirloom text in three seperate speech bubbles. The bubbles are blue, yellow and green and there is a bright red background. Illustration by Christine Jopling ©

Use of language is also significant when considering how we as a community approach the histories of heirloom cider apples. In Olivia Maki’s piece on racism in cidermaking, she highlights how prejudicial terms like heritage, history and heirloom can be and the necessity of considering whose history and whose heritage we are referring to. The American Cider Association and GLINTCAP cider competition have renamed what were previously called heritage ciders to heirloom, which while still far from perfect is not quite as loaded, and which is used, for consistency with industry standards, in these articles. As important as it is to identify heirloom apples correctly, it is equally important to use appropriate language pertaining to their role in America’s history. “When we talk about the history of apples, especially in a broad public sense, we have to be willing to engage with the harder truths and talk about what it really meant for apples to thrive here, and who paid the cost,” says Seed Savers’ Jamie Hanson.

Thrive they certainly did. And now, under the careful caretaking of so many interdisciplinary enthusiasts, these apples are being used to make some of the most exciting and creative cider on the market. Ambitious, conscientious cidermakers are honing in on the unique and exciting flavour profiles of heirloom apples and their innate suitability for cidermaking. Some are recreating famous historic ciders while others are experimenting with new blends of old breeds. Orchardists too are having fun bringing ‘lost’ apples back and creating new varieties from heirloom grafts, some purposefully designed for cidermaking. Regional specialties are showing off terroir, and while many varieties remain unnamed, DNA profiling is slowly unravelling their mysteries through parental heritage tests. Part Three will explore some popular and interesting heirloom varieties and the ciders being made with them, dramatic ‘recovery’ stories, tantalising flavours and how heirloom apples are championing the American craft cider movement with the potential they bring to it.