It's apple time again. Motorists on state Route 261 may miss one of the most unusual sights as they pass Sunny Slope Orchard in Tuscarawas Township near the Stark-Wayne county line. An apple fence sits along the parking lot. It took Victor Baker two years to train the trees. That was nearly 15 years ago.
Apples hang on the curved branches each fall.
Baker's late father, Russell, started the fruit orchard more than 60 years ago. The son and his son, Gregory, now supervise the growing of apples, peaches, strawberries, muskmelons and pumpkins. There are quite a few apple-oriented events coming up this fall. One of the oldest, the Jackson County Apple Festival, occurred in mid-September. Occasionally someone will portray Johnny Appleseed, whose real name was John Chapman.