The Living Museum
Our Grafting Journey
In March 2026 we grafted 342 heirloom apple trees by hand. They have spent the year growing in our greenhouse, and in April 2027 they go into the ground in the orchard.
How grafting works2026 at a glance
This year’s grafts
A graft joins a cutting of a named variety, called scion wood, onto a rootstock. Ours all grow on MM.111. Here is how this year’s grafts did, told mostly in the words we shared on Facebook along the way.
March 1, 2026
Getting ready
Before a single graft, there was soil to mix. We set up the mixer, hauled in pine bark and lined up rows of nursery pots for the rootstock.
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago.”Denny Goss
March 21–23, 2026
Grafting day
Over three days we grafted by hand, joining a cutting of each heirloom variety onto MM.111 rootstock. Every graft got its own pot and its own label.
April 6, 2026
Our first time grafting
Our first time grafting, with an heirloom focus. The scion wood went out of the bucket and onto the rootstock, and the barn floor filled with pots.
“301 grafted scions.”Denny Goss
April 14, 2026
342 grafts, our first time
When the final count came in, it was 342 grafts. Within weeks the buds swelled, the first leaves opened, and a few eager grafts even tried to bloom.
“342 grafts, our first time.”Denny Goss
April 20, 2026
No blossoms yet
We pinched off the blossoms. These grafts are too early in life to fruit; every bit of energy needs to go into roots and leaves.
April 26 – May 7, 2026
Leafing out, and a second home
The grafts leafed out and kept going. We topped off the soil, fed them, mulched them, and started building the greenhouse that would carry them through to spring.
May 15, 2026
Most of them took
About eight weeks after grafting, most of the grafts had taken. That is the moment you find out whether all that care worked.
May 31, 2026
Into the greenhouse until spring
We started the move to the greenhouse, where they stay until next spring. Each one is a step toward the Living Museum: a collection of heirloom apples you can walk through.
June 12, 2026
Never count one out
Not every graft made it, and we had to pull some varieties. But one underdog sprouted late, long after we had nearly given up on it.
“Never count one out.”Denny Goss
June 17, 2026
Moving day
Most of the trees rode to the greenhouse by mini-truck, a load at a time.
June 18 – July 8, 2026
Dialing in the greenhouse
With family help the greenhouse was ready. We set up irrigation, put on shade cloth, added misting and tuned the ventilation. For pests, we released ladybug larvae and lacewings instead of reaching for sprays.
July 13, 2026
Counting the losses
Eleven varieties were lost this year. Most of them are coming back in 2027 with fresh wood, so they get a second chance.
August 11, 2026
From sticks to trees
Spider mites showed up and kept us busy, but the trees kept growing.
“Our little grafts went from sticks and growing.”Denny Goss
August – October 2026
The greenhouse saga continues
The trees are still growing in the greenhouse. Next April they go into the ground in the orchard.
“The greenhouse saga continues.”Denny Goss
Coming this spring
Next round in the greenhouse
As this year’s trees head out to the orchard, fresh scion wood arrives for the next round of grafting. These grafts will spend 2027 in the greenhouse, just as this year’s did.
When
Scion wood arrives late winter into early spring 2027. We graft in early spring, as we did on March 21–23, 2026.
How many
About 260 grafts are planned so far, with room for up to 360 as more wood is confirmed.
Second chances
Ten of the eleven varieties lost in 2026 are coming back with fresh wood.
The collection
116 varieties today, 80 more coming, for 196 varieties in 2027.
The 80 varieties coming
- Alexander
- Almata
- Anton Polt
- Ben Davis
- Blue Ridge King (Hoover)
- Brushy Mountain Limbertwig
- Buckingham
- Burford Redflesh
- Calville Blanc d'Hiver
- Cap of Liberty
- Carolina Red June
- Chenango Strawberry
- Chisel Jersey
- Court Pendu Gris
- Court Pendu Rose
- Enterprise
- Fallawater
- Father Abraham
- Flower of Kent
- Frequin Rouge
- Gilpin
- Gloria Mundi
- Golden Pearmain
- Hall
- Hardy Cumberland
- Horse
- Hubbardston Nonsuch
- Hudson's Golden Gem
- Hunge
- Jesse Hall
- Jonathan (trees arriving March 2027)
- Kandil Sinap
- Kentucky Limbertwig
- King of Tompkins County
- Kinnaird's Choice
- Lamb Abbey Pearmain
- Magnum Bonum
- Maiden Blush
- Major
- Malus sieversii #12 (PI 613994)
- Michelin
- Mother
- Muscadet de Dieppe
- Muscat de Bernay
- Médaille d'Or
- Nickajack
- Old Nonpareil
- Pomme Gris
- Porter's Perfection
- Ralls Janet (Ralls Genet)
- Raven
- Red Astrachan
- Redfree
- Rhode Island Greening
- Royal Limbertwig
- Rusty Coat
- Sheep Nose
- Shockley
- Smokehouse
- Sops of Wine
- St. Edmund's Russet
- Stayman Winesap
- Sturmer Pippin
- Summer Buff
- Summer Rambo
- Surprise
- Swaar
- Swiss Limbertwig
- Tarbutton
- Victoria Limbertwig
- Vilberie
- Virginia Beauty
- Wagener
- Wealthy
- White Jersey
- Winter Banana
- Winter Sweet Paradise
- Wolf River
- Yates
- Yellow Bellflower