We Visit an Established Orchard

We visited the famous Carter Mountain Orchard. Sited in a glorious spot on a mountain ridge, with views to all sides, we had a hayride and a presentation to the children.

When the guide asked what a tree needs from the ground, Isaiah answered, “Nutrients from the soil,” and the guide’s mouth just about dropped open. “That answer was above and beyond,” she said.

With hundreds of acres of trees, and full teams to deal with planting, trimming, picking, and processing, I don’t expect we’ll ever reach the scale of Carter Mountain. That’s okay.

Since it appears to be impossible to find a Virginia grown organic apple, I have hopes for the future: small-scale niche apples, grown without chemicals. Is it possible? Time will tell.