From 1853-1899, Peter Miller Gideon accomplished what was up until then impossible. In 1860, he created an apple tree that would survive the cold and harsh weather of Excelsior, Minnesota. Peter wanted to grow fruit because everyone before him had given up, there was a lack of local fresh fruit and the pioneers could not afford to import fruit. The apple, called "The Wealthy" after Peter's wife, was a turning point in history because it launched the Minnesota apple industry that thrives in cold weather regions and created a line of apple that just keeps growing!
"The greatest service which can be rendered to any country is to add a useful plant to its culture." ~Thomas Jefferson~
Click here to view "Before The Apple"