Heirloom Apples

In this podcast Nina Prater, agriculture specialist at NCAT's Southeast Regional office in Fayetteville, Arkansas, has a conversation with her NCAT colleague Guy Ames, horticulture specialist and owner-operator of Ames Orchard and Nursery in Elkins, Arkansas. Guy has been farming in Arkansas since 1971, but became interested in heirloom apples in 1980.In this episode, discover things you might not have known, such as, what qualifies as an heirloom. What's in a name? How do you decide what variety to grow? Guy and Nina also talks about the history of heirloom apples, some pros and cons, and the role heirloom apples can play in today's market and environment.For more information on this topic, you can contact Guy Ames directly at [email protected] ATTRA Resources:Apples: Organic Production Guide (in this ATTRA publication, Appendix 1, "Disease Resistant Apple Varieties," is a chart showing the relative disease resistance of more than 100 apple varieties, many of them "heirlooms.")Other Resources:North American Fruit ExplorersChanges in the Land, book by William CrononOld Southern Apples, book by Creighton Lee CalhounThe Illustrated History of Apples in the United States and CanadaPlease call ATTRA with any and all of your sustainable agriculture questions at 1-800-346-9140 or e-mail us at [email protected]. Our two dozen specialists can help you with a vast array of topics, everything from farm planning to pest management, from produce to livestock, and soils to aquaculture.You can get in touch with NCAT/ATTRA specialists and find our other extensive, and free, sustainable-agriculture publications, webinars, videos, and other resources at NCAT/ATTRA's website.You also can stay in touch with NCAT at its Facebook page.Keep up with NCAT/ATTRA's SIFT farm at its website.Also check out NCAT's Regional Offices' websites and Facebook Pages!Southwest Regional Office: Website / FacebookWestern Regional Office: Website / FacebookRocky Mountain West Regional Office: FacebookGulf States Regional Office: Website / FacebookSoutheast Regional Office: Website / FacebookNortheast Regional Office: Website / Facebook