St. Lawrence Nurseries

Bill MacKentley met Fred in 1971, and within a few years they developed a relationship that became almost as strong as family ties. Fred was self-taught, but extremely knowledgeable and well-read. During his lifetime he had tried many fruits and nuts in this northern climate, learning what survives and what winter kills here, and had recorded his observations in single-space typed or laboriously hand-written pages. Fred traded information, scionwood and cuttings with other plant-breeders in a forum of letters called a "round-robin" through organizations like NAFEX (North American Fruit Explorers) and NNGA (Northern Nut Growers Assn.) In addition to supporting his family through farm labor and working for the County on the road crew, Fred grafted and sold fruit trees in a small business he called St Lawrence Nurseries. When Fred died in 1977, Diana and Bill purchased the land where he had done much of his grafting and breeding in Potsdam, NY. In 1981, they produced the first St Lawrence Nurseries catalog. For 34 years, the MacKentleys cultivated a truly unique and wonderful business, carrying the legacy of Fred Ashworth's passion. In September of 2015, the nursery was passed on to Connor Hardiman. Connor worked for the MacKenleys for 5 years prior to taking over the nursery with the invaluable help of several core employees. The MacKentleys continue to be involved in an advisory capacity, continuing to distribute their decades of knowledge about the nursery to ensure a successful future. Our Location