Bowman PatriciaIn 1920, Robert Frost made a significant move from Franconia, New Hampshire, to Shaftsbury, Vermont, driven by the desire for a better farming environment, particularly for growing apples. Seeking a suitable place with good schools for his daughters and land suitable for farming, Frost settled on the historic stone house in South Shaftsbury, Vermont, convinced by the persuasion of his friend Dorothy Canfield Fisher.
The stone house, known as the “Peleg Cole” house, boasted 80 acres of land suitable for farming, with a warmer climate conducive to orchards and gardens. This location was not only closer to Frost’s publisher in New York but also provided accessibility via railroad. Frost’s daughters could complete their education in nearby North Bennington.
Frost’s interest in apples dated back to his time at his first farm in Derry, New Hampshire, from 1900 to 1911. He found that growing apples was a fitting occupation for a poet and appreciated having them around. Frost maintained his orchard in a practical manner, relying on traditional New England farming methods and letting the trees largely care for themselves.
His poem “After Apple-Picking,” written about his orchard in Derry, showcases his poetic prowess and his intimate connection with nature. Frost’s dream of planting “a new Garden of Eden with a thousand apple trees of some unforbidden variety” captivated the family, particularly his son Carol, who envisioned the orchard as a vital component of the farm.
Although Frost was primarily known as a poet, his love for rural life and farming was deeply ingrained. While farming was a means of earning a livelihood, it also allowed him to live off the land and appreciate the simple pleasures of rural life. Frost and his family enjoyed the fruits of their labor, relishing the summer produce grown on their farm.
The orchard at the Stone House consisted of apple varieties such as MacIntosh, Northern Spy, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, and Red Astrachan. While the land is no longer owned by the Frost museum, some of the trees still remain, albeit in a state of neglect.
Efforts to revive Frost’s orchard have been undertaken, with plans to create a display orchard featuring historic apple varieties mentioned in Frost’s works. Through collaborations with apple experts and the UVM Master Gardener extension service, initiatives to propagate heritage trees and educate the public about Frost’s apple poems and the care of apple trees are underway.
The rich history of apple grafting in Shaftsbury adds another layer to the story, reflecting the longstanding tradition of apple cultivation in the region. Modern techniques of grafting and rootstock methods have been employed to ensure the successful propagation of desired apple varieties, preserving Frost’s legacy and his love for apples for generations to come.
