Alyson's
Apple Orchard
Bob Jasse believes something worth doing is worth doing right.
In 1981, retired from a fast-paced job as a technology executive,
he and his wife Susan envisioned a place that they could shape
and love, a welcoming retreat for others as well a place to
put down roots. They started Alyson’s Apple orchard from
scratch, on 500 beautiful acres of rich glacial soil in the
Connecticut River Valley of southwest (Walpole) New Hampshire.
Today the 50-acre orchard—luscious with apples, pears,
peaches, plums, cherries, grapes and berries—is the centerpiece
of a pastoral expanse of woodlands, ponds, and trails. A conference
center and lodge host weddings, reunions, and other events.
The orchard is based on innovative high-density, European-style
planting, and from the beginning has been committed to Integrated
Crop Management (also known as Integrated Pest Management or
IPM) – a ‘best practices’ approach that primarily
relies on cultural practices and the action of beneficial organisms
to manage pests. Orchard manager Homer Dunn, – a skilled,
passionate, long-time orchardist – oversees the extensive
hand-cultivation, careful pruning and attention to the orchard
ecosystem that strengthens trees, keeps pests in check, and
increases productivity. Irrigation ponds, which recycle water
from the orchard, are so pure that trout and other native species
thrive in them.
There are over sixty varieties of apples in the orchard, including
many heirlooms and regional favorites. In spring, 75 hives of
bees are brought in to help wild bees pollinate the 28,000 trees.
Alyson’s Apple Orchard is a tableau of beautiful sights,
fragrances, and flavors. It is also full of sounds: frogs and
songbirds abound, serving as natural predators for orchard insects.
Voices of visitors picking fruit or celebrating a special occasion
mingle with the sounds of birds, frogs, bees and rustling breezes—
audible evidence that the ecosystem is healthy and diverse.
Alyson’s supplies Red Tomato with Eco Apples, including
many varieties of heirloom apples. Visit their website at www.alysonsorchard.com
