Points North: How ‘Bout Them Apples?
On a remote island in Lake Michigan, some old apple trees could have very rare, never-before-discovered genes.
By Austin Rowlader, Interlochen Public Radio, Points North is a biweekly podcast about the land, water and inhabitants of the Great Lakes.
Luke Marion is on Beaver Island in Lake Michigan looking for apple trees. He takes out a pair of pruners, cuts last year’s growth off the branches, and puts the cuttings in a carefully marked bag and into a cooler.
There’s a chance these particular apple trees could be very rare, located 32 miles off mainland Michigan.
Could join the U.S. stockpile of apples poised to fight off future threats.
Author's summary: Exploration of rare apple trees on Beaver Island.