Happily It's Apple Season
Crisp, sweet apples hanging like burnished ornaments on fall trees. Nothing tastes quite like
a fall apple, and apples invite lots of fall activity for the whole family. Apple picking, apple
tasting, bobbing for apples and cooking with apples--there’s so much apple fun to choose
from! There's nothing like a good old fashioned apple orchard store in fall!
Apple Orchards
Just visiting an apple orchard brings lots of new learning experiences. Different size trees
offer diverse apples of red, green, yellow or reddish yellow, each lending a unique texture
and flavor. And those lucky enough to have a u-pick in the area can choose the prettiest
apples straight from the tree. Hand picking provides the most intimate sense of how apples
grow on the tree, and children love the activity of being outdoors, sometimes more than the
picking. Initially, they dart from tree to tree picking and tasting; inevitably they begin to run
and play, then stop to rest or investigate fallen apples getting ravaged by insects. Lucky
kids may even get a hayride to and from the orchard.
Apple Facts for Kids
Check out our fun apple facts for kids. Learn interesting information about apple trees and
popular apple varieties that you might find in your lunch box.
What kind of naturally occurring poison do apple seeds contain? How many calories does the
average apple have? Find out the answers to these questions and much more with our fun apple
facts for kids!
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Apples are the fruit of apple trees and are one of the most widely grown tree
fruit.
Millions of tons of apples are grown every year.
There are thousands of different varieties of apples including Fuji, Gala,
Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Pink Lady and Granny Smith.
Granny Smith apples originated in Australia in 1868 accidentally after a
chance seedling by a woman named Maria Ann Smith.
While most apples are eaten fresh, they have other uses including juice
making and cooking.
The apple tree originated in Central Asia.
China is the leading producer of apples.
Apples were taken to North America by European settlers.
Apple trees can be vulnerable to a number of different diseases and pests.
Chemical sprays are often used to limit the damage but organic methods are
also popular.
Honey bees are commonly used to pollinate apple trees.
Apple trees typically blossom in spring with fruit maturing in autumn.
Apple seeds contain a cyanide compound. Our body can handle small doses
of this naturally occurring poison so you'd have to eat a huge number of
seeds for it to have an effect, and even then the seeds are covered in a
protective coating which keeps the cyanide compound safe inside.
An average apple contains around 130 calories.
It is believed that the saying "An apple a day keeps the doctor away"
originated in Wales in the 19th century. Sadly, eating apples doesn't
guarantee good health but they do have nutritional value and potential
health benefits.
The apple genome was decoded in 2010.
Why…
Apple Slices Turn Brown and How to Stop Sliced Apples from Browning
You get a beautiful apple, slice it, put it in a plastic bag in your child's lunch. That afternoon your child
comes home from school and there in the lunch pail is the uneaten sliced apple, all brown and mushy.
When asked when he or she didn't eat it, your child says, "It looked brown and gross!"
Why did the apple turn brown?
When you slice an apple the cut cells of the apple are exposed to oxygen in the air. Enzymes, called
polyphenol oxidase (PPO), in the apple's chloroplast cells react to this apparent injury by converting
some naturally occurring phenolic compounds into another type of compound called o-quinones. Then
these colorless o-quinones react with other naturally occurring compounds in the apple to create the
brown-colored secondary compounds.
Apple Juice and Apple Cider:
What's the Difference?
Apple juice and apple cider are both fruit beverages made from apples, but there is a
difference between the two. Fresh cider is raw apple juice that has not undergone a
filtration process to remove coarse particles of pulp or sediment. It takes about one third
of a bushel to make a gallon of cider.
To make fresh cider, apples are washed, cut and ground into a mash that is the
consistency of applesauce. Layers of mash are wrapped in cloth, and put into wooded
racks. A hydraulic press squeezes the layers, and the juice flows into refrigerated tanks.
This juice is bottled as apple cider.
Apple juice is juice that has been filtered to remove solids and pasteurized so that it will
stay fresh longer. Vacuum sealing and additional filtering extend the shelf life of the
juice.
The flavor of cider depends on the blending of juice from different apple varieties. The
term "flavor" refers to the palatability of a distinct apple juice flavor and the aroma that is
typical of properly processed apple juice. Cider makers are most particular about
concocting a blend that will create the desired flavor and produce the perfect balance
between sweetness and tartness.
Cider needs constant refrigeration because it is perishable. It will stay sweet and
unfermented for up to two weeks. Cider can also be frozen, but be sure to pour off an
inch or two from the container for expansion during freezing.
A Nutritious Alternative: Although a glass of cider a day cannot guarantee good
health, the sweet juice is a good source of potassium and
iron. Apple cider is pure and natural with no sugar added.
A 6 ounce glass has only 87 calories. Apple cider, like
other juices, fruits and vegetables contains no cholesterol.
Pectin, contained in apple cider, has been shown to keep
serum cholesterol levels down
10 Minute Apple Sauce Recipe
-Yield:
1 quart
Ingredients
3 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
3 Fuji apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
1 cup unfiltered apple juice
2 tablespoons cognac or brandy
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions
In a sealable microwave-safe container, combine apples with
all other ingredients. Close lid, leaving one corner of lid open
to allow steam to escape. Microwave on high for 10 minutes.
Using a hand blender or potato masher, blend to desired
consistency. Serve hot immediately or chill for later use.
When to go
Each month brings the availability of a different fruit or vegetable. Remember, it varies on
location, varieties planted, and weather conditions, so always call the farm before the
earliest date below so you don't miss the season!
What to bring
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Pack for a day trip - I always bring snacks, hand towels or disposable wipes and plenty of
liquids to drink.
Include containers for picking and for carrying the fruit home (smaller containers are
better for children's smaller hands), Some farms provide them, but usually for a fee.
Dress in old clothes and worn athletic shoes; you want to be comfortable and not worried
about staining or tearing your clothes! If the ground is wet, it will really ruin any nice
shoe, so wear your beat up old ones!
Wide-brimmed hats help protect you from the summer sun; and in the Fall, extra layers
keep you warm. Don't forget sunscreen for the back of your neck and exposed skin
(unless you WANT to go into work on Monday looking like a "redneck" :)
The weather could change without notice. If you get hit by a downpour, be ready to switch to
Plan B and if you can't wait it out, go to the backup plan; such as a visit to a museum, tourist or
historic site nearby. Your kids will remember it as "the time we went to pick fruit and instead
had fun doing" something else.
Pack a picnic lunch and snacks. You'll be gone all day and all that picking and being outdoors
will work up a big appetite (assuming the kids haven't already gorged on the fruit they're
picking). Bring a cooler and back it with your favorite lunch and snacks. Eating outdoors is part
of the experience!
Don't forget the camera. You may want to capture those memories you're making. But remember
you'll be out on the farm and bring a cheap or disposable camera, rather than the expensive one.
When you arrive at the farm, take some time at the beginning to explain to your kids on how to
identify and pick ripe fruit. If you don't know see our tips (below) or ask the farm hands - they
can also tell you where the field has been picked out, so you don't waste time finding the fruit!
And since fields and orchards can be large, make sure everyone knows where to meet up!
The fun doesn't have to end with just picking the fruit. Some farms also offer hay rides, petting
zoos, corn mazes, gift shops, even restaurants. And if your children tire before you've gotten
your fill of fruit, most places also sell pre-picked produce; you'll still get better quality and a
better price than the grocery store.
Farm Rules
Every farm is a bit different. Some have more relaxed rules, others are more strict. You need to
find a farm that matches your needs - a grumpy farmer with strict rules would not make for a
happy experience with young children. But you also need to teach your children that the plants
are living things to be cared for and respected, not abused, and the farmer feeds his family and
pays his bills from the well-being of these plants! So here are some general farm rules:
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Note and follow all rules and regulations posted by owners at their picking locations.
Look for the check-in and check-out areas. Before picking, note whether you will be
charged according to weight, volume or count. Also, inquire if there is a minimum
quantity requirement.
Place trash in proper receptacles or take it with you.
Stay clear of parked or moving tractors and equipment.
Health codes usually require no pets in the fields.
Always call in advance to find out if the fruit/vegetables you want are available, to get
directions, check their opening and closing hours and to ask if children are welcome
(some farms prohibit young children who might damage plants).
Walk in the rows, don't step on plants!
Some farmers frown on stepping across rows, even if you do it carefully (honestly, this
one seems a bit control-freakish to me!)
Information for this article obtained from the following:
Mass.gov, Stock Food, Produce Farms of Massachusetts, PickYourOwn.org