Northern Maine Community College and the Central Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District will host “Apples: History and Heritage,” a symposium celebrating the cultural and agricultural significance of this beloved fruit.
The event will take place from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5, at the college’s Edmunds Conference Center.
The motivation for the symposium began in November 2023, when renowned apple expert John Bunker visited Pam and Wayne Sweester’s Raymond Brook Farm in Presque Isle to identify an elderly apple tree. The tree, believed to be a nearly extinct Hayford Sweet, remains one of the few from an orchard maintained by Wayne’s grandparents between 1900 and 1950.
During Bunker’s visit, Pam Sweetser invited him to be a keynote speaker alongside local historian David Raymond for a community symposium celebrating Aroostook County’s apple culture. They readily agreed, and Pam then enlisted Randy Martin, Central Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District executive director, to join the effort.
Sweester, a historian, local farmer, small business owner and retired educator, will moderate the event.
Bunker will share insights from his work discovering and preserving Maine’s rare apple varieties.
Raymond, chair of arts and sciences at Northern Maine Community College, will discuss Henry David Thoreau’s essay, “Wild Apples,” exploring the deep connection between people and apples.
Martin, owner of The King’s Gardener Nursery and a practicing agronomist for over 30 years, will discuss traditional cultivation methods and the growing of heritage apples in Aroostook County.
This community event is open to the public. A Q&A session will follow the presentations. Attendees can sample heritage apples from The King’s Gardener and enjoy apple crisp prepared by Chef Victor Hartley using local heirloom varieties.
The event will also feature an apple cider pressing demonstration by Matt Grillo, NMCC’s Dean of Students, assisted by NMCC students.
A free copy of Martin’s publication, A Guide to Common Apple Varieties and Their Care in Aroostook County, will be available to attendees, and Bunker’s new book, “Apples and the Art of Detection,” will be for sale.
Preregistration is required. The cost is $25. To register, email centralaroostookswcd@gmail.com or call the conservation district at 207-768-9431.
