Saving The Orchard
(full
story)
When Elia and Greg Pierce bought land on 390 Erickson Road
to build a new home, they found out they had a fairly unusual
back yard.
The Pierces discovered their yard was part of a 40-acre tract
of apple trees that hadn't been cared for since owner Ed O'Neil,
the largest apple distributor in New England, had converted
the land for development.
O'Neil hadn't pruned or sprayed the apples in two years.
The couple noticed the decaying trees were sprawling wildly
and the apples they produced were soft and scabbed.
They bought the house and the 100 apple trees that neighbor
it, deciding to save a part of the town's history and pick
up a new hobby. Their trees, along with the 135 belonging
to their neighbors, will be part of a business called "Ashby
Apples," and should be ripe for the picking in early
September.(full
story)
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