North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Sgroppino Farms" <sgroppino@sgroppino.com>]

Dear NAFEX:

 

I'm about to place orders with 4 or 5 different fruit tree retailers for apple trees for my home orchard.  I'm pretty much a neophyte when it comes to growing or buying fruit trees.  Not knowing much about the reputations of the various growers, I did a search on the Net last night to see if I could find any information about other people's experiences--good or bad.  I hesitate to bring up the topic of companies' reputations because it's so subjective, but I'm about to sink a good chunk of money into buying from tree nurseries about which I know very little.  I don't want to have any regrets about not having done my research in advance.

 

I ran across a website last night called Plants By Mail (http://plantsbymail.net/) that looks to be a clearinghouse of information about companies that sell, not surprisingly, plants by mail.  I was a bit concerned when I read the feedback posted about one the companies from whom I'm looking to buy half of my trees--South Meadow Fruit Gardens.  SMFG looks to have a very impressive collection of trees on their website.  I've also had a couple of very helpful conversations with the folks at SMFG, once I've been able to get them on the phone.  Yet the vast majority of feedback people posted about this outfit was a bit alarming.  I have to give them the benefit of the doubt and just assume that the disgruntled people who decided to write about them were a very small minority of South Meadow's happily satisfied customers.  Nevertheless, I would very much appreciate any information people may be willing to share about their experiences buying apple trees from this particular nursery and any others whom you may feel need to be addressed.

 

Please e-mail me directly with your thoughts if you don't mind.  Thanks in advance for your info.

 

Sincerely,

 

John A Gasbarre

Sgroppino Farms

Vinalhaven Island, Maine

sgroppino@sgroppino.com