Henderson County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is part of the Asheville, North Carolina, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000, the population was 89,173. Its county seat is Hendersonville[1].
via Henderson County, North Carolina – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Apple Orchards and William Mills
Apple orchards have been part of Henderson County’s landscape since the very beginning of European settlement. Henderson County’s very own Johnny Appleseed was a revolutionary war soldier named William Mills. Mills secured one of the first land grants west of the Blue Ridge and became one of the first non-native people to settle the area. Local legend holds that Mills planted hundreds of apple trees that flourished in the county’s moderate climate. Noticing Mill’s success, other residents of the area followed suit, giving birth to Henderson County’s apple growing tradition, a tradition that resulted in a multi-million dollar industry and making Henderson County the largest apple producer in the state.
In an effort to preserve the cultural heritage of Henderson County and to maintain the genetic diversity of apple trees, the Environmental and Conservation Organization (ECO) is running its annual Heritage Apple Tree Sale. On sale are varieties that can trace their origins to this area such as Limbertwig, Horse and Shockley, as well as others that have been historically grown here. See the brief (on this page) for more details.
via A seed in time | BlueRidgeNow.com | Times-News Online | Hendersonville, NC.