Your Swedish Apple Tree Plans may be used to make hundreds of apple trees, but you may not copy the plans to give away or sell. The copyright for these plans is held by Mark Esping who sells them exclusively through the Folklife Institute of Central Kansas.

The orgins of the Swedish Apple Tree are in southern Sweden, maybe in northern Germany, although at the time of this printing that is only supposition, unsubstantiated by any fact. There are very old apple trees in several museums in southern Sweden. Some are plain like the one you will make from these plans. Others are quite elaborate, requiring not only skill with a lath and band saw, but also some expertise at hand carving. One especially grand apple tree has a chain, carved from one piece of wood that hooks from one apple branch to another.

In the United States there have been several apple tree makers. In Kansas City there was a woman who made several. The state of Washington has several men who make apple trees.. The largest group of documented apple trees were made in and around Lindsborg KS. The documentation is brief prior to the 1930's. The Lindsborg tradition seemly started when Margaret Sandzen Greenough purchased one on a trip to Sweden and then asked a carpenter to make an exact copy so that her Christmas table could have one at each end of the table.

From this first copy, a cottage industry was started by carpenters who needed inside work during the cold months when building was at a standstill. The old carpentery shop across the street from the Post Office and behind Howe"s lumberyard was a gathering place on frosty mornings. Here the original design slowly changed as each carpenter made his own special "type" producing from six to a dozen every winter. Sixteen different styles have been produced in the Smoky Valley. There have been a couple of men who upon retirement started to produce several apple trees each week all year long.

Painting your apple tree envolves a whole set of personal decisions. All we suggest is that you use a little red, a little yellow, a little green, some blue and maybe some black or white. Some apple trees are made to show off the grain of wood and should be finished with varnish, a stain or just waxed. Try different combinations until you find the one right for your family.

You can still buy apple trees in Lindsborg. Several men still make them and there are a couple of styles that are imported. Prices run from $75.00 to $150.00.

IF YOU KNOW OF ANY APPLE TREES NOT MADE IN LINDSBORG PLEASE CONTACT THE AUTHOR BY EMAIL AT news@folklifeinstitute.com