Sit Spot Haiku – Apple blossom

An apple tree blooms
On a forgotten road 
Time has passed us by

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It is said that New England established its first cultivated apple orchard in 1623. The location of the orchard was Beacon Hill in Massachusetts. The apple that was grown was called The Baldwin.

Apple trees soon became a staple of the New England landscape. Almost every farm had one and many farmers supplemented their earnings from selling apples. Nowadays you can drive around the backroads of New England and see apple trees on the side of the road, in people’s backyards, in parking lots, or even at highway rest stops.

Although the apple business is still profitable in New England, there are plenty of abandoned orchards and unkept trees. Coming across an abandoned orchard while out on a hike is a surreal experience. The aisle of overgrown trees are a gentle reminder of those that used to call that place home.

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Resources:

• WBUR: 9 things you didn’t know New England’s favorite autumn fruit
• New England Historical Society – 6 Historic Apple Orchards
• Atlas Obscura – Apple Orchards in Boston