Apples
The Apple growing season starts in late June and lasts until October.
It is believed that apples were grown in Neolithic times. They were known to ancient cave dwellers. Early Americans brought apple seeds from Europe and planted trees in Massachusetts and Virginia. John Chapman became known as Johnny Appleseed because he planted apple seeds wherever he went. Apples are a member of the rose family. In colonial times, apples were called winter banana or melt-in-the-mouth.
There are more than 7,000 varieties of apples grown in the world. The average size of a United States orchard is 50 acres. It takes the energy from 50 leaves to produce one apple. It takes about 36 apples to create one gallon of apple cider.
Apples are high in fiber. They are low in calories and have no fat, cholesterol, or sodium. Two-thirds of the fiber and lots of antioxidants are found in the peel. Antioxidants help to reduce damage to cells, which can trigger some diseases.
At home, store apples in your refrigerator to keep them crisp and delicious. When stored in the refrigerator, apples can keep for about 6 weeks.
