My name is Chuck Carnahan and this Summer, I'm going on a little walk to raise funds for a very special cause.

The drive from Columbus to Nova, OH is only about an hour and a half but this Summer I will walk from the Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus, 85 miles north to Nova in search of the last living tree planted by Johnny Appleseed. American Forests, America's oldest historic tree registry, has kindly donated a live rooted cutting from this tree, (Essentially a clone of the original tree) which I will then walk back to Columbus to be planted on the grounds of the Franklin Park Conservatory. In all, the trip will be about 170 miles and take 6 days. The twist however, is that I will make the entire trip with nothing but what I take with me from the beginning. Food, shelter, everything I use or need.

By donating below, you are not only helping to bring a piece of living American history to Columbus, you’re helping the American Cancer Society bring cancer treatments to thousands of people. Your donations will also help the Franklin Park Conservatory and American Forests keep tomorrow green for everyone!

All funds raised will go to the American Cancer Society, American Forests and the Franklin Park Conservatory.

And please check back for regular updates!!!

Thursday, May 27, 2010

The Walk

Though cracked, splintered and held together by chains, the last known living apple tree planted by John Chapman (AKA. Johnny Appleseed) still produces a good crop of tart, red-striped apples each fall. Growing on the farm of Dick and Phyllis Algeo near Nova, the 170-year-old tree has long been seen as a proud member of this family, which still has four generations living on the farm.Typically, apple trees live only 50 or 60 years, so the Algeo tree has surprised experts with its longevity.

“Every spring I think it’s the last year,” says Phyllis, looking proudly at the tree. “But Johnny’s watching over it.”

For those of you who don't know me, my name is Chuck Carnahan and I have been working in the non-profit field for over 8 years with the Dublin Arts Council in Dublin, Ohio. I have many years of backpacking and hiking experience, however this walk presents an entirely new kind of challenge. 180 years ago when John Chapman was traveling the mid-west, if you didn't have a horse, money for a carriage or live near a body of water, you had to walk everywhere you went. If you needed supplies other than what you had with you, you were out of luck. This is the example that I will follow on this walk. The drive from Columbus to Nova is only about an hour and a half but I will walk the entire 170 mile round trip with nothing but what I take with me from the beginning. Food, shelter, everything I use or need.

Upon reaching the Algeo farm on day 3 of my walk, I will strap a live rooted cutting from this tree (Essentially a clone of the original tree) onto my backpack and start my 3 day walk back to Columbus. The cutting was propagated and donated by American Forests which is America's oldest historic tree registry. The cutting will then be planted on the grounds of the Franklin Park Conservatory as part of their permanent collection.

The planting was originally going to take place in July at the conclusion of my walk. However by a happy coincidence, American Forests and the Johnny Appleseed Museum are conducting their own Johnny Appleseed tour in September and in which, they have asked to include the planting of the Appleseed cutting at the Conservatory.

I will post more details about the walk and the tour in September as they come in, so please check back for regular updates! And please please please donate to the American Cancer Society, the Franklin Park Conservatory and American Forests via the GREEN links above. All of the money you donate will go solely to them and your donation is tax deductible. These three organizations do so much to help their respective communities so please, help them out in any way you can. I will also post regular updates as to the total dollar amount raised.

Feel free to leave comments and questions below. Thanks!!!

10 comments:

  1. Hi Chuck, I want to write more but I am heading out the door. I love your project and your blog about it -- I just stumbled upon it while researching Johnny Appleseed for an album project I'm composing for. Do you know if, by some historical oversight, John Chapman might have fathered any children? Is there more info about him that you could recommend besides what's in WikiPedia? I would REALLY like to find any remaining active orchards that he may have started (even if they make an unsubstantiated claim). There's more, but that's all for now. Thanks for anything you can offer!

    Smiles,
    Glen Roethel
    singer-songwriter ~ glenroethel.com
    Gathering Time (the new folk-rock harmony trio) ~ gatheringtimetrio.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. In 1965 I was told a story about Johnny Appleseed, that he had walked up the Wabash river from Evansville and followed the Wabash river all the way north through Terre Haute all the way up the Wabash, and this would make since, if he in fact took the Ohio river to Evansville. My Grandfather walked this exact route in 1920, and told me the story several times, How he ate from trees along the way, He said that they were everywhere in that area at the time, and he told me of the people still alive at the time, who actually had stories told to them from parents of him coming through planting trees. These stories of Johnny were passed down. I know for a fact that the apple trees were everywhere along the Wabash river, because in/or around 1965 I are from at least 100 of these trees. Me and my Grandpa would fish the river and they were everywhere. Chris Johnson Terre Haute, Indiana

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  3. I really believe that this route set his path for the rest of his life. He ended up in F. W. but he got there down the Ohio, and up the Wabash.

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