Noah of the Apple Trees

We were visiting Morningstar's sister Judy and her husband Ray near Yoncalla, a small town in southern Oregon. They live on a farm that has a history dating back to the 1846 Applegate Trail, the southern route of the Oregon Trail. The historic Trail ran by what is now the front of the farmhouse. At one time part of the house was a post office, and an early sawmill was located in what is now the yard. Some of the grape vines and apple trees that grow around the house go back several generations. While Ray was showing me around, I told him that I was interested in heritage apples and he informed me that his friend and neighbor across the road had a few. Sure, I thought, old but unidentified - not of much use when I had been searching unsuccessfully for several specific varieties. But it was worth a try, so Ray took me over to meet Nick Botner. Well, it turns out that Nick is a systematic collector of apple trees and is world famous. He has over 3500 varieties of apple trees growing in his orchard and is constantly seeking out new varieties to add to his collection. Some are of historic interest, some rare, others are newly developed. He is currently in the process of writing a definitive text and photos on some 1000 apple varieties. This is one very impressive man. Nick is about 80 and easily looks and acts 20 years younger. In a 2004 article in Mother Earth News, Jerry Schroyer of Canby, Oregon, past president of the Home Orchard Society, calls Nick "the Noah of the apple collecting world." Schroyer says, "He wanted to have one of everything and sought out unusual varieties. He has this urge to save every apple variety out there."

I asked Nick for two trees that I had been looking for, the Esopus Spitzenburg (Thomas Jefferson's favorite apple) and the Northern Spy (considered a good dessert and cider apple, but especially known as the number one pie apple, it may have been called the "Northern Pie Apple" in the 1800's). No problem, he had both and he suggested that I take ones grafted on particularly hardy rootstock since they were going to Northern British Columbia. He then suggested I try the Wenatchee Early. He said that I would thank him for this one. I accepted the suggestion without hesitation. Later, when I tried to find it online, I had no luck. It doesn't seem to exist. Every list, every search engine that I tried failed to find it. What I did find were multiple references to Nick Botner and his amazing collection of apples. I found the following comment on one of the websites: "Nick Botner is a throwback to generations past, unassuming and thoroughly knowledgeable as to all of the apples, nuts, berries, fruits and grapes he raises which makes it a delight to visit with him, in addition to his products being first class. "

I agree. And Nick Botner is also first class. .... Bob