The Johnny AppleSeed Story

In real life, Johnny AppleSeed was known as John Chapman, born on September 26, 2774 near Leominister, Massachusetts. By the time he was 25 years old, he had become a nurseryman, planting apple trees in the western portions of New York and Pennsylvania. Some of the orchards in those areas are said to have originated with his apple trees.

In the early 1800's, the rich and fertile lands lying south of the Great Lakes and west of the Ohio river were opened for settlement. John Chapman was among the very first to explore the new territory. This Northwest Territory would later form the states of Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois. Johnny AppleSeed roamed his territory for nearly half a century and in the years that followed, he became known as Johnny AppleSeed.

Johnny AppleSeed's's manner of operation was a simple one. He simply went into the wilderness with a bag of apple seeds on his back until he found a good spot for planting. He would chop out weeds and brush by hand to clear the land before planting. After planting his seeds in neat little rows, he would build a brush fence around the area to keep out straying animals. The areas he planted varied in size. Some areas would only be an acre or so, and others would cover many acres.

His Dream and Legacy

Being a religious and practical businessman, John Chapman caught a vision of the wilderness blossoming with apple trees. The fragrant blossoms of orchard after orchard of carefully nurtured trees gave promise of a fruitful harvest for the settlers. He willingly endured hardships of wilderness life as he worked to make his dream come true. The suggestion of a permanent and loving home when one plants fruit trees around their home, his sturdy young trees lightened the hearts and lifted the spirits of many.

John Chapman created hundreds of nurseries in the territory lying south of the Great Lakes and between the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. There is no way to estimate how many millions of seed he planted. But this was his service to mankind.

The name of Johnny AppleSeed is known throughout all of the United States and elsewhere in much of the world as many of his young seedlings may have crossed the plains to produce their bountiful fruit in the western states. To this day, people continue to improve their environment in Johnny AppleSeed's manner whenever they plant a new seedling!

Inspiration

The spirit of Johnny AppleSeed inspired Johnny GreenSeed to plant a new kind of "seed". A seed of hope that will grow and bring back the healthy green environment that existed in the days of Johnny AppleSeed for all future generations to come.