Orchards of The Past

Have you received your Spring fruit, vegetable and flower catalog in the mail this year?  Many years ago they were a much looked forward to mail item, for garden seeds and fruit trees were purchased this way.  Green houses as we have today were not very easy to get to.  Thanks to the Amish community, we now have several green houses that we can visit come spring planting time.

Crittenden County farmers had many orchards and I'm sure they supplied the families with many jars of fruit during the long months that fruit wasn't in season.  There were also several orchards that grew apples for the market.  A well known apple orchard in Marion belonged to Dr. Frederick W. Nunn.  He even had a sorter which would automatically select the different sizes of apples.

 In 1926 Nunn Orchard was known for it's fine varieties of Starks Delicious, Red and Golden, the Winesaps, and Black Twig, (don't know what kind that was). 

There were family orchards located all over the county.  One large family orchard was located in the Tolu Area, and was known as Dan Stone's Apple Orchard.

This is a wonderful old picture of the Stone Orchard near Tolu, that was made in the early 1900's.  You can see some of the apples in the crate, and basket. 

Back row, L-r: Pete Watson, D. C. Watson, Bonnie Watson, Jack Mason, Alice Turner, Carrie Stone, Dan Stone (owner of the orchard),   Dan Watson, and Sally Watson.  (Sally has some apples in her hands)
Front row: Hub Watson and small boy is Bill "Bug Eye" Stone.