TODAY IN THE ORCHARD

Erin Robinson and Casey Darrow in front of a Northern Spy tree planted by Casey’s great-grandfather in 1918

Alyssa Gavlik and I spent much of the day with Erin Robinson of Scott Farm in Dummerston, VT where they grow dozens of rare varieties including many I’d heard of but never seen. We spent hours exploring their orchards, looking at apples they haven’t been able to identify since the past manager left, and talking about all things apples. Later we were joined by Laura Sieger and Sean Turley. The five of us went to Green Mountain Orchards in nearby Putney, Vermont where Casey Darrow and his family have grown apples and small fruit—particularly blueberries—for multiple generations.