Apples, Apples, Apples!

Apples, Apples, Apples!. . , Agriculture in North Central Massachusetts is deeply rooted in our history. That heritage is perhaps best symbolized with our connection to apples and an icon of American folk history - Johnny Appleseed, who was born in Leominster in 1774., In recognition of the region's proud agricultural heritage, the Johnny Appleseed Visitors Center includes ninety-one apple trees planted on its premises, including three "Johnny Appleseed" or Rambo trees., These three "Johnny Appleseed" trees were planted with saplings from a more than 200-year-old tree in Nova, Ohio, which is the last known tree planted by American Pioneer and local folk hero Johnny Appleseed. The American Historical Forestry provided the saplings from the tree in 2003. A plaque honoring Johnny Appleseed, and the ten-year anniversary of the planting of the trees, was added in 2013., Apples in Colonial Times , Apples were an important staple of Colonial life. They were fairly easy to grow and were easy to store for year-round use. They could be eaten fresh, baked, fried, dried, made into preserves and apple butter and were even used as livestock feed. The apples produced at the time were not the commercial grade sweet apples that we know and expect today, but instead typically had a more bitter taste to them. More often the apples would be turned into hard cider and cider vinegar. The vinegar was used for pickling vegetables for long-term preservation, while the hard cider was an important source of safe drinking water., Agriculture in North Central Massachusetts Today , Agriculture is more than just part of our past; the region's agricultural sector is still playing an important part in shaping the future of North Central Massachusetts and helping drive our economy. While the region's economy has evolved over the years to include advanced manufacturing, health care, professional services and more, the many farms and orchards in the region are still a key part of our working landscape. The region is home to an estimated 800 farms, orchards and other agricultural entities. In North Central Massachusetts, visitors can pick apples at a local orchard; enjoy craft beers or cider from one of our farms; stop at a farm stand for local produce; enjoy ice cream made at a local dairy; experience a meal at a local farm to table restaurant; or buy their maple syrup, meats, cheeses or produce to enjoy at home.