Yes, you can grow a wide variety of food in Wexford County, if you are careful in selecting an appropriate
site, and select appropriate fruit and perennial vegetable varieties that are adapted to our climate.  
The Wexford Conservation District sells hardy apple, cherry, peach, pear, and plum trees, along
with asparagus, blueberry, grape, horseradish, raspberry, and strawberry plants.   

​All of our food-producing plants are sold as bare root (not potted) plants.

A word on hardiness -
All the fruit trees and plants that we sell are hardy to zone 4, which is the coldest zone covering Wexford County.  As far as blossom hardiness, apple and pear blossoms are consistently hardy throughout the county.  However, if you live in the higher elevations of the county (the darkest areas on the map at right), you are in plant hardiness zone 4B, and you may find that the blossom buds of peaches and tart cherries are sometimes killed by frost.  Plums and sweet cherries bloom even earlier, and those in zone 4B will frequently lose a crop to frost.

Apples

Apples require cross-pollination.  Two different varieties with similar bloom times within 100 feet of each other to ensure a crop. 
Freedom, honeygold, and Sweet Sixteen are grafted onto semi-dwarf EMLA 7 rootstock and will grow to heights of 12-15 feet.  Red Duchess is on standard rootstock .  Al are hardy to zone 4.

Crimson Crisp – Fruit is medium size, red, very crisp, and juicy.  Will keep into January in cold storage.  Disease-resistant to apple scab.  Ripens in mid-September.  $25.00 each
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Suncrisp – Fruits are medium size and yellow.  They are a very good storage apple and ripens in mid-October.  $25.00 each
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Honeycrisp– Medium-to-large fruits are sweet, firm, and tart, making them an ideal apple for eating raw.  Ripens in mid-September to early-October.  $25.00 each   
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Initial – Fruits are red, high aroma, low acid, and high sugar.  Disease-resistant to black spot disease.  $25.00 each
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Gold Rush – Fruits are green-yellow and medium size, with a tart-tangy flavor.  Disease-resistant to apple scab and powdery mildew.  $25.00 each
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Asparagus

Asparagus plants are sold as dormant, bare-root crowns.  They require "sweet" soil with a pH of 6.5 - 7.5. 
Space plants 18-24" apart in rows that are at least 2' apart.  First crops can be harvested in 2-3 years.



Pricing for asparagus plants:  
5 plants - $10.00
10 plants - $18.00
​  25 plants - $38.00
​50 plants - $70.00

Blueberries

These blueberry plants are bare-root plants (not in a pot).   They are 12-18" tall.  To produce fruit, you must plant at least two different blueberry varieties for cross-pollination.   Blueberries prefer soils that are moist, with high organic matter, and with a pH close to 5.0.   Space plants 5' apart in rows that are at least 6' apart.
Blueray
A mid-season variety that begins ripening in late July
$8.00 each
Jersey
Late season variety that begins ripening in early August.
$8.00 each

Cherries

Cherries come in both sweet and tart (pie) varieties.  Both of our cherries are self-fertile and do not need a cross pollinator.   They are grafted onto Mazzard rootstock, and will grow to heights of 12 - 15'.

Kristin Sweet Cherry – Productive sweet cherry with large black fruits.  Ripens in mid-July. Cold hardy.     $26.00 each
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Balaton Tart Cherry –Fruits have a dark skin. Ripens in mid-July through early-August.  $26.00 each
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Grapes

Table grapes are a wonderful addition to your backyard fruit collestion.  We offer one year old vines that are "extra" grade which means that they have a heavier, more solid root structure, and have exhibited above average growth their first year.
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Seedless Concord
We have found a seeless version of the famous American grape with vigorous, hardy, and productive vines that produce medium sized clusters bearing large blue-black berries.  Concord grapes are great for jelly, juice, and kosher wines.  Will produce more than 20 pounds of fruit per vine when mature.  These are 1-year old vines that are #1 grade which means that they have a 9-12" single branch or a 6-12" double branch.  Give plants full sun and space them at least 8' apart.
$12.00 each
 
Seeded King of the North – A hardy medium size blue grape with productive vines.  Great for juice, jelly, and wine making.  Fruits are juicy and tart.  Ripens in early September.  Resistant to common grape diseases and insects.  Give plants full sun and space them at least 8’ apart.  Price is $12 per plant.
​

Peaches

Our peach trees are grafted onto seedling rootstock, and will grow to a height of 12 - 15'. 
Peaches are self-fertile and do not require cross pollination. 

Contender
A freestone peach with bright yellow flesh.  It is hardy to zone 4 and has good tolerance of spring frosts.  Fruit is sweet and extra juicy.  Suitable for fresh eating, canning, and freezing.  Ripens in mid to late August.  
$26.00 each

Pears

Pears require cross pollination - be sure to plant two compatible varieties.   
​Blake's Pride and Beurre D'Anjou varieties will pollinate each other.

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Blake's Pride
Has excellent, aromatic flavor with a smooth, buttery texture.  Resistant to fire blight.  Ripens in early September.
$17.00 each
Bartlett – Originally discovered in England in 1765, it is now considered the classic American pear.  Suitable for both fresh eating and canning.  Ripens in mid-September.   $22.00 each
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Plums

Bluebyrd- A European plum that is firm, super sweet, and highly productive.  Ripens in mid-August. $26 each

Raspberries

Raspberries will thrive in sandy soils, but are prone to disease in heavy or wet soils.   We sell dormant, bare-root plants. 
Trellising is recommended for all raspberries.  Space rows at least 5' apart.
Red raspberries should be spaced 2' apart in rows.  Black raspberries should be spaced 3' apart in rows.
Killarney – A red raspberry with good flavor and is especially winter hardy.  Fruit ripens in early August.

1 plant - $6.00
5 plants - $23.00
10 plants - $37.00
25 plants - $81.00
Jewel
A black raspberry with a rich flavor.  Fruit ripens in early July.
1 plant - $8.00
5 plants - $33.00
10 plants - $53.00
25 plants - $116.00
Joan J
One of the earliest fruiting of the fall raspberries.  Produces large berries with great flavor on thorn-less canes.  Fruit ripens in early September. 
1 plant - $6.00
5 plants - $23.00
10 plants - $37.00
25 plants - $81.00
Anne – A yellow raspberry with a very sweet flavor.  Fruit ripens in late August through October.
​1 plant - $6.00
5 plants - $23.00
10 plants - $37.00
25 plants - $81.00
Rhubarb
Crimson Red
Our supplier tested 25 varieties and found this to be the sweetest and most thoroughly red of them all.  Grows best on well-drained soils that have good organic matter content.  Space plants 3' apart with at least 5" between rows.
$10.00 per plant.

Strawberries

Strawberries grow best in well-drained soils rich in organic matter.  Plants should be space 18" apart, with at least 3' between rows.  June-bearing varieties produce one crop in early summer.  Day-neutral varieties will flower continuously and produce fruit throughout the summer.  We carry two varieties of June-bearing strawberries so that you can harvest fruit for a full month or more as well as day neutral varieties that will produce berries all summer.

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​Cavendish
An early-season June-Bearing variety with excellent flavor.  Berries are large in size.  Resistant to red stele and Verticillium wilt.
Malwina
A late-season June-bearing variety that produces large berries with excellent flavor.  Resistant to red stele and Verticillium wilt.
Seascape
A day-neutral variety that produces large berries with excellent flavor. Said to be the best-tasting of the day-neutral varieties.
Albion
A day--neutral variety that has resistance to Verticillium wilt and Phytopthora.  Produces very large fruit with excellent flavor summer through fall.
Allstar –A late mid-season June-bearing large, sweet fruits with high yields.  Resistant to verticillium wilt and red stele.
​Prices for strawberry plants:
5 plants - $4.00      10 plants - $7.00       25 plants - $14.00      50 plants - $24.00