Apple cuttings opportunity
We bought our house a couple of years ago. Previous owner went scorched earth before selling, sold the 100 year old walnuts and oak trees, leveled everything else. Pure grass.
I was talking to my farmer neighbor last night (he's the one who told me about what happened to my property before I bought it), and he mention he is selling his farm. Kids don't want to farm. New owner will probably bulldoze the orchard. I've seen it happen over and over in my neck of the woods. No, I don't have the money to buy it or even a part of it.
Neighbor said I am welcome to getting some cuttings before it sells. He has fond memories of picking apples with his family when he was a kid. Unfortunately, no one has lived in the house for decades, and the orchard is overgrown and in pretty rough shape. It's a deer and nettles and hemlock and multifloral rose paradise.
I said I'd love to. However, I've spent all morning looking for rootstock, I'm thinking dwarf root stock, but most everything is sold out. And before anyone asks, no, he doesn't want anyone else on his land.
What is the best way to get these started? I'm open to just planting them as is, but I was hoping to get at least one of each variety. His orchard is about 3 acres and he has probably about 20 to 30 different varieties.
Help!