Congressman Mark Souder kicks off a week-long Johnny Appleseed Birthday Celebration and Tree Planting Tour with a genetically authentic Johnny Appleseed RAMBO Trees planting at the Ft. Wayne Festival Grounds as part of the city’s 35th annual Johnny Appleseed Festival .

The Sunday event is the first of five special events being put on with the help of AMERICAN FORESTS, the Johnny Appleseed Foundation and Museum at Urbana University and cooperating land owners in celebration of Johnny Appleseed’s 235th birthday anniversary.

Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009, 3:30 p.m.

Festival Stage, Festival Grounds near Johnny Appleseed gravesite, Ft. Wayne,IN

September 26th marks the 235th anniversary of Johnny Appleseed’s birth. Born John Chapman, Johnny Appleseed (1774 – 1845) planted apple trees across more than one hundred thousand square miles during his lifetime. His apples were a staple for many settlers moving West after the American Revolution.

The last known living apple tree planted by Johnny still grows on a farm in Nova, Ohio that was part of a Land Grant signed by John Quincy Adams in 1837. Cuttings from that tree – a Rambo variety, Chapman’s favorite – have been grown into the trees by AMERICAN FORESTS, the nation’s oldest conservation organization founded in 1875. These Johnny Appleseed trees will be planted on this anniversary tour and are available to the public for online purchase from www.historictrees.org.

Plant a Johnny Appleseed tree and sink your teeth into a delicious piece of American history!

Sunday’s Johnny Appleseed Festival will recreate the historical period in its appearance and carefully selected exhibitors, while providing an amazing array of food, crafts, reenactments, and entertainment – join the fun to begin this week-long celebration of a legend! Details and festival map are available at JohnnyAppleseedFestival.com