Maine Heritage Orchard
The Maine Heritage Orchard is a ten acre preservation educational orchard located at the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) in Unity. The orchard is already home to over 300 varieties of apples and pears traditionally grown in Maine, with more being added each year.
The collection includes varieties from all 16 counties in Maine dating back as far as 1630. Until recently, many of them had been on the verge of extinction.
The orchard is planted in a reclaimed gravel pit and is managed using innovative, organic orchard practices. In 2013 the land was reshaped into terraces, and the first trees were planted on Earth Day 2014. Clovers, grasses, native flowers, shrubs and trees are encouraged to grow alongside the fruit trees to help stabilize the depleted land, promote healthy soil growth, and create a balanced ecosystem.