The Redman Foundation looking for a few good volunteers
The people trying to bring the old Redman House back to life are looking for volunteers to tend to more than 300 apple trees now growing on the periphery of the century-old edifice.
On Saturday, Stephen Pedersen, who farms 10 acres surrounding the dilapidated house, is hoping that at least two dozen volunteers interested in the cause will help him prune and paint the bases of an acre's worth of apple trees.
The house, located on Lee Road off Highway 1 just west of the Riverside Street exit, was built in 1887 and is in the process of being restored to what it looked like back in the day.
Part of the restoration effort includes growing the sort of apple trees common during the late 19th century, when the Pajaro Valley was the epicenter of apple growing in the region.
"We've got about 20 varieties out here right now," said Pedersen, ticking off a few examples like the newtown pippin to the red delicious to the bellflower. "And there's a lot of work to be done."
Pedersen said 10 a.m. would be the perfect time to show up to volunteer, and he suggested bringing a pair of gloves for the work - for the task is not exactly a clean one.
Some of the other duties would consist of pulling "suckers" that grow around the tree - essentially long branches that suck the energy from saplings.
The Redman House, a two-story Queen Anne Victorian, was purchased by the Redman Foundation nearly two years ago for $1.9 million for purposes of sprucing it up and some day turning it into an historical museum of sorts.
To get a sense of how old the property is, the house was built at a time when horse and carriages ruled the region, and oxen were the beast of burden who bore the brunt of the plow and apple orchards.
But over the years and through the decades and on into a new millennium, it's obvious that time has taken its toll on both the house and the farmland.
By summer, the Redman Foundation is hoping to start the restoration in earnest by removing the huge house from its base and rebuilding its foundation.
But for now the apple trees need to be tended to.
On Saturday, Stephen Pedersen, who farms 10 acres surrounding the dilapidated house, is hoping that at least two dozen volunteers interested in the cause will help him prune and paint the bases of an acre's worth of apple trees.
The house, located on Lee Road off Highway 1 just west of the Riverside Street exit, was built in 1887 and is in the process of being restored to what it looked like back in the day.
Part of the restoration effort includes growing the sort of apple trees common during the late 19th century, when the Pajaro Valley was the epicenter of apple growing in the region.
"We've got about 20 varieties out here right now," said Pedersen, ticking off a few examples like the newtown pippin to the red delicious to the bellflower. "And there's a lot of work to be done."
Pedersen said 10 a.m. would be the perfect time to show up to volunteer, and he suggested bringing a pair of gloves for the work - for the task is not exactly a clean one.
Some of the other duties would consist of pulling "suckers" that grow around the tree - essentially long branches that suck the energy from saplings.
The Redman House, a two-story Queen Anne Victorian, was purchased by the Redman Foundation nearly two years ago for $1.9 million for purposes of sprucing it up and some day turning it into an historical museum of sorts.
To get a sense of how old the property is, the house was built at a time when horse and carriages ruled the region, and oxen were the beast of burden who bore the brunt of the plow and apple orchards.
But over the years and through the decades and on into a new millennium, it's obvious that time has taken its toll on both the house and the farmland.
By summer, the Redman Foundation is hoping to start the restoration in earnest by removing the huge house from its base and rebuilding its foundation.
But for now the apple trees need to be tended to.
posted by redmanfoundation | 12:40 PM
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