Ohio apple grower John Mitchell “Mitch” Lynd died April 17 at age 83.
Lynd, along with Indiana grower Ed Fackler, co-founded the Midwest Apple Improvement Association in the 1990s, which has released nine apple varieties, including MAIA-1 (marketed as EverCrisp).
Born in 1942 in Columbus, Ohio, Lynd earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from The Ohio State University. He worked as an assistant store manager for Kroger and at the Ohio Container Co. before returning to his family farm, Lynd Fruit Farm in Pataskala, Ohio.
As a fruit grower, Lynd was recognized as an innovative thinker and clear communicator, and he served the apple industry in many capacities. He was inducted into the Licking County, Ohio, Agricultural Hall of Fame in 2016.
Read more about Lynd’s life and career in our story from the October 2024 issue: Apples made in the Midwest.
