Doug Hundley has worked in field grown horticulture for 50 years. He worked for the Avery County Cooperative Extension Center for 25 years, until retiring in 2016. His primary duty was running the Avery County IPM Program for Christmas trees. However, for 21 years there he headed up the Avery Extension Plant Sale. This project led him into the study of old-time apples and the beginning of the Heirloom Apple Project. He was encouraged by many older Avery County landowners with heritage apple trees to see their oldest apple trees and hear their stories. He was able to locate and document many of the heirloom apples of Avery County. Soon he contacted and befriended Lee Calhoun, author of ‘Old Southern Apples’. He learned much more from Mr. Calhoun, the oldtimers in Avery County, and beyond. Doug says, “I’m passing on the history and work of others.”
Doug helped the ‘Crossnore Communities for Children’ start the Crossnore Heritage Orchard in 2009. Since that time, he has has been involved in taking care of the trees.
After retiring from the Extension Office, Doug continued helping Bill Hoffman with the Heiritage Orchard. Bill is the current Avery County Apple Extension Agent, the Plant Sale Coordinator, Community Garden Leader and many other duties. Bill and Doug have been taking care of the apple trees over the last 7 years. Bill utilizes the Heritage Orchard for workshops in “Pruning Apple Trees” and other apple tree management classes.
Meg Renfro Hundley, Doug’s wife, retired in 2016 as the Avery County Middle School Librarian. Together Meg and Doug built this website for the Orchard. Their goal is to “Improve the Community’s access to the Crossnore Heritage Orchard using the new website technology, which provides self-guiding tours.” Soon an Orchard Donation Program will be in place for community members to help support these new tools.
