this apple hunter is conserving thousands of america's lost apple varieties

Every so often we come across a cockle-warming story that simply must be shared.

For more than two decades, Tom Brown has dedicated his life to locating and preserving lost American apple varieties that were originally grown across Appalachia by the generations that came before him. The retired chemical engineer from North Carolina travels across the country in search of apple trees, seeking out clues from elderly locals along the way.

Tom has successfully located around 1200 apple varieties so far, and currently preserves hundreds of them by growing them on his home orchard. He documents the discoveries on his website Apple Search, keeps fans updated with an annual newsletter, and regularly showcases apples at festivals.

Aside from saving these special heritage apples from extinction, Tom's goal is to build a “cultural knowledge base” about their histories, so they are not forgotten again. “These old timey apples are part of our agricultural heritage, but they are rapidly being lost forever,” he says on his website. “The trees are being cut down and the older people who remember the apple names are passing away. The window to still find and save these wonderful apples is rapidly closing.”

We reckon Tom deserves a hearty pat on the back for his rad work. Have a squiz at his website and read this to learn more about his ace mission.Snap via Atlas Obscura