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The Tree of 40 Fruit is coming to Historic New Harmony

March 24, 2016

Sam Van Aken, founder of the Tree of 40 Fruit, will be planting two trees that bear 40 different fruits in New Harmony, March 31 through April 2. Van Aken will visit New Harmony twice a year for three years following the initial planting to insure the trees' stability.

Each unique tree grows over forty different types of stone fruit including peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines, cherries and almonds. Every spring, the trees will blossom in multiple tones of pink, crimson and white and in summer, the trees will bear a multitude of fruit. Sculpted through the process of grafting, the process of fusing wood from an existing tree onto a branch of another tree, the trees will be planted next to the Atheneum.

"The cool thing about this project and the intersection with New Harmony is that Sam iscurrently researching the original varieties of stone fruits planted by the Harmonists," said Garry Holstein, director of the New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art. Holstein reached out to Van Aken and invited him to visit New Harmony.

Efroymson FF-4color

 "He came to visit us in fall 2015 and we received funding from the Efroymson Family Fund to make the project a reality."

"When we initially plant the trees, there will be 20 varieties of fruit and the trees will be six years old," said Holstein. "Then over the course of the next three years, Sam will graft the heirloom varieties of fruit from the Harmonist community days, to increase the overall number of fruit to 40."

Van Aken has already planted 20 trees around the country. USI will increase his collection to 21 and 22 trees.

"In 2017, when Sam continues his stability visits, we will offer workshops on grafting. It is our hope that community members will learn to graft and then take the trees back to their homes and plant them. We will be working to reestablish the heirloom varieties in the town and even the region."

The planting of the Tree of 40 Fruits is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Garry Holstein at 812-682-3156.

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