Orchard People

Old Apple Varieties with Daniel Bussey

Orchard People

Show Notes

Learn about old apple cultivars with apple historian Daniel Bussey, author of The Illustrated History of Apples in the United States and Canada.

The host of The Urban Forestry Radio Show and Podcast is Susan Poizner of the fruit tree care education website www.orchardpeople.com. Tune into The Urban Forestry Radio Show LIVE by going to RealityRadio101.com on the last Tuesday of every month at 1.00 pm Eastern Time.

Learn to grow organic fruit trees successfully. Sign up for OrchardPeople.com's premium online courses at https://learn.orchardpeople.com/.

These show notes may contain affiliate links to products. We may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!

(00:00) - Exploring old apple varieties at an apple tasting event

(00:34) - Podcast name change in January

(01:53) - Why Dan started writing about old apple varieties

(03:23) - Why old apple varieties have funny names

(05:25) - Smokehouse Apple and fire blight resistance

(06:31) - Ginger Gold Pedigree

(07:52) - Slack ma Girdle apple!

(08:36) - Best old apple varieties for fresh eating

(12:07) - Why russet apples fell out of favor

(14:09) - How do you identify apple varieties on an old tree visually and with DNA testing

(17:25) - Black Oxford and Roxbury Russet apple questions

(19:14) - Westfield seek no further apple history

(20:58) - How names of old apple varieties have changed over the years.

(22:44) - Ben Davis apple history and why it has multiple names

(24:46) - McAfee apple history

(26:08) - Sheep nose apple variety

(26:54) - Tolman Sweet apple trees

(28:07) - Old apple varieties that are easier to grow

(29:58) - A Word from our Sponsors

(34:37) - More on Old Apple Varieties

(35:53) - History of the USDA apple illustrations

(37:10) - Pitmastin Pineapple and Fire blight resistance

(38:12) - Ashmeet's Kernel - and identifying Russet apples

(39:47) - Franklin apple

(40:34) - Are many old apple varieties lost forever?

(41:30) - Limbertwig apples

(43:54) - Allergies to some apples and not to others

(46:44) - Where to buy old apple varieties

(47:41) - Programs to preserve old apple varieties and apple tree grafting

(51:46) - Which old apple varieties make the best pies

(54:00) - Did you enjoy this show as a livestream on YouTube?

(54:42) - How to order Dan's books and how to reach out to him

(56:41) - How to access more fruit tree podcasts like this one

More from Orchard People

Sep 29, 2026

Explore what soil biology can reveal about fruit tree health - and how compost, mulch, root-zone conditions, observation, and ongoing care can help fruit trees thrive.

Jun 30, 2026

We often think about watering, pruning, and fertilizing when a fruit tree struggles. In this Classic Episode, Dr. Glynn Percival explores another possibility: compacted soil. Learn what vertical mulching is, when it may help, and why healthy roots begin with healthy soil.

May 26, 2026

In this classic Orchard People podcast episode, explore why some fruit trees grow vigorously while others struggle for years before producing fruit, with fruit tree physiologist John Cline about the science behind fruit tree growth, productivity, and early fruiting. John Cline Ph.D, is a professor in the Department of Plant Agriculture, at the University of Guelph in Ontario. Together, they explore how rootstocks, pruning, branch training, soil conditions, sunlight, watering, and tree genetics all influence how quickly fruit trees establish and produce harvests. This conversation originally helped inspire Susan’s book Grow Fruit Trees Fast and remains one of Orchard People’s foundational discussions on young fruit tree care. In this episode, you’ll learn: • The difference between vigor and precocity • Why some fruit tree varieties grow faster than others • How rootstocks affect tree size and productivity • Why branch bending can encourage earlier fruiting • When pruning stimulates growth — and when it delays harvests • How soil, sunlight, and irrigation influence tree health • Common mistakes that slow young fruit trees down

Apr 28, 2026

Learn how watering and feeding fruit trees work together with arborist, author, and educator Casey Clapp on this episode of the Orchard People Radio Show. Casey is the co-host of Completely Arbortrary and an arborist based in Portland, Oregon. Learn more: https://caseyclapp.com https://arbortrarypod.com https://www.gofundme.com/manage/yearofthecone The host of the Orchard People radio show and podcast is Susan Poizner of the fruit tree care education website www.orchardpeople.com.

Mar 31, 2026

What do all those numbers on a soil test actually mean? In this episode of the Orchard People podcast, Susan Poizner speaks with soil educator Ariel Agenbroad about how to read a soil test for fruit trees and how to interpret results like pH, organic matter, nitrogen, and electrical conductivity.

See all episodes →