Our autumn weather has hit New England. The past couple of months have been unusually warm for the most part. One of my favorite fall things are the apples. I love the fresh apples in the fall. A couple of years ago we explored apples as part of our fruit explorations. Today we are sharing some interesting facts about them!
- Carbonized remains of apples have been found in prehistoric lake dwellings in Switzerland dating back to the Iron Age. There is evidence showing apples were eaten and preserved by slicing and sun drying during the Stone age in Europe.
- Greek and Roman mythology refer to apples as symbols of love and beauty. Perhaps where the saying: “The apple of my eye” comes from.
- The expression “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” comes from an Old English saying.
- Apples are members of the rose family. This is why they have the hidden stars.
- On April 29, 1897 the apple blossom became the state flower of Michigan.
- The top apple producing states are Washington, New York, Michigan, California, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
- Fresh apples float because 25 percent of their volume is air.
- Crab apples are the only apples native to America. In 1622 colonies of bees were shipped from England to the Colony of Virginia. There were no honeybees in America. Massachusetts received shipments between 1630 and 1633. Native Americans called the honeybees “English flies” or “white man’s flies.”
- In 1623 William Blackstone arrived in Massachusetts from Europe. He apparently carried a bag of apple seeds (called pips) and planted an orchard on Beacon Hill in Boston and later moved to Rhode Island where he planted orchards as well.
- John Chapman (1774-1845) was born in Leominster, Massachusetts. He dreamed of planting so many apple trees that no one would go hungry. He became a folk hero and pioneer apple farmer known as Johnny Appleseed. He collected seeds from cider mills and dried them. He gave little bags of them to everyone he met heading West. He traveled for forty years and planted seeds where he thought they would grow. He also developed nurseries for the orchards care and read his Bible.
- The largest apple ever picked from a tree weighted 3 lbs. 2 oz. America’s longest-lived apple tree was planted in 1647 by Governor Peter Stuyvesant in Manhattan on the corner of Third Avenue and 13th Street. It beared fruit until it was struck by a train in 1866.
- An average apple tree produces apples to fill 20 boxes that weigh 42 pounds each. It takes 36 apples to produce one gallon of apple cider.
- There are 10,000 varieties of apples grown worldwide and more than 7,000 grown in the United States.
- Studies show apples may reduce the risk of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and strokes.
- Apple seeds contain cyanide and should not be eaten. Eating too many apple seeds could be fatal.
- The majority of the fiber and antioxidants are in the apple peel so be sure to eat the peels.
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| Apple Blossoms fir0002 | flagstaffotos.com.au [GFDL 1.2], via Wikimedia Commons |
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| John Chapman By H. S. Knapp [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons |
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| Apple Tree By Maseltov (shot by myself / eigene Aufnahme) [CC BY-SA 2.0 de], via Wikimedia Commons |
1) From What Can We Do with Paper and Glue: Paper Weaving Apple
2) From Simple Parenting: Apple Printing
3) From The Best Ideas for Kids: Yarn Apple Garland
4) From Play Trains: Apple Harvest Pom Pom Tree
5) From Paradise Praises: Apple Puzzle Activities
6) From Kinder Craze: Apple Stained Glass Window Decorations
7) From Crafts on Sea: Cotton Wool Painted Apple Craft
8) From Jenny at the Gingerbread House: Cork Print Apple Wreath
9) From Babies to Bookworms: Growing with the Apple Pie Tree
10) From Jinxy Kids: Tissue Paper Plate Apple Craft
11) From I Heart Crafty Things: Paper Plate Apple
12) From Creative Family Fun: Apple Print Wreath
2) From Little Bins for Little Hands: Erupting Apple Volcano
3) From Mama Smiles: Cinnamon Apple Peels (See Fun Fact 16)
4) From Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds: Apple Graph Activity
5) From Fireflies and Mud Pies: Sweet and Simple Felt Apple Craft
6) From Red Ted Art: Apple Pinch Pots
7) From Buggy and Buddy: Yarn-Wrapped Pine Cone Apple Trees
8) From Arts & Crackers: Secret Apple Tree Fort
9) From The Preschool Toolbox: Apple Theme Playdough Pre-Writing Activity
10) From Powerful Mothering: No Sew Apple Picking Quiet Book
So I hope you are enjoying some fresh apples this year!! And of course getting ready for Thanksgiving apple pie!! Stay tuned for more fun facts!!
Sources:
- Nordqvist, Joseph. Apples: Health Benefits, Facts, Research. (4/11/17) https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/267290.php
- What’s Cooking America. Apples- History and Legends of Apples. https://whatscookingamerica.net/Fruit/Apples.htm
