Apple tree restoration project in Central begins with "Heritage Apples" workshop

By Patricia Van Pelt

CENTRAL -- "Heritage Apples" was the fourth and last session of Reading the Landscape for 2009. The theme for this year was "Living in the Landscape." In cooperation with the Keweenaw County Historical Society (KCHS) and the Keweenaw Land Trust (KLT), we met on Sept. 19 at Central, the historic mining town, to study the apple trees that have grown wild.

During the fourth 2009 Reading the Landscape workshop, "Heritage Apples," at Central, Patricia Toczydlowski of the Keweenaw Land Trust leads participants in making cider. Also pictured are Virginia "Ginny" Jamison (foreground, left), Keweenaw County Historical Society president, and Susan de Keyser (background, left). (Photo © 2009 and courtesy Patricia Van Pelt.)

On this site are 10 apple trees that we have named and numbered and monitored since May, so they were our initial focus.

Fifteen participants joined the presenters in the Visitors' Center. Patricia Van Pelt introduced the Heritage Apple project; Barbara Flanagin spoke of the history and importance of Botanical Illustration; Pat Toczydlowski spoke of the KLT's pleasure in taking on the necessarily long-term project of restoring Central's apple trees.

Ginny Jamison, President of the KCHS described the many ongoing projects of the historical society and introduced Phil Mason, historian, who described the life of the mining families in Central at the turn of the 20th century, giving context to the presence of the apple trees.

Led by John Slivon, Ann Pace and Pat Toczydlowski, the group toured the entire site studying the various trees and tasting apples.

After a lunch break, picnic on the lawn in perfect weather, the participants divided into three groups. There were three TASKS, and all three groups participated in all three tasks:

1. Care of Trees -- John Slivon and Ann Pace: Pruning, grafting, feeding.
2. Botanical Illustration -- Barbara Flanagin: Contour drawing, composition, transfer to illustration board and application of color.
3. Cider Making -- Pat Toczydlowski: Combining apples from Ruth, Sarah and the sweet side of Daniel! Pat Toczydlowski produced four plus gallons of very nice cider.

The day ended with cider and doughnuts, provided by Sue Haralson of the Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District, who did the registration. There were many handouts and everyone had a very fine day.

For me, the main message was to love these trees, to give them time and attention and not to rush at anything.

There might be a cider-making event before winter to raise money for the KCHS, and there will certainly be some KLT outings in the early spring to prune and clear dead wood and perhaps do some grafting.

Editor's Notes:
Guest author Patricia Van Pelt is a board member for the Keweenaw Land Trust and a member of the Keweenaw County Historical Society.

In 1996, the Keweenaw County Historical Society acquired 38 acres of the old Central Mine site. Some of the residences are being restored, and a Visitors Center provides interpretive exhibits not only about the mine but also about the miners' families, homes, schools and churches. Visit the Keweenaw County Historical Society Web site for more information.

Reading the Landscape is a collaboration supported by a number of conservation groups in the Keweenaw including Gratiot Lake Conservancy, Keweenaw Land Trust, Michigan Nature Association, Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District, Keweenaw County Historical Society, Trout Unlimited, Copper Country Audubon and Northwoods Conservancy.