Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Featured Item: Green Apple Plushie



How cute are these?? I was browsing a list in the Test Treasury called "An Apple A Day" and I decided that I'd show you something super cute and at the same time would share with you a random fact. Before prohibition in the 1920s, apples were mainly used to make "AppleJack" or hard cider- people did not eat them. When prohibition was adopted, this became a problem for people who had large orchards- many of which were seedling apples bought (yes bought) from "Johnny Appleseed" or John Chapman, who had bought a lot of land during his travels and grew nursery trees to sell (I suspect Johnny A wasn't quite the wholesome character we know from school). What to do? Well, the term "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" was coined, and apples were then promoted as fruit for eating, and a new era of the apple began- one in which apples were bred for red color and sweetness, rather than for cider-making.

One more random apple fact: Apples are part of probably the most important plant family to the fruit industry- the Rose family (rosaceae). Other members include pears, peaches, plums, strawberries, blackberries, apricots, almonds, raspberries, nectarines, etc.

Oh, the little things you learn in 4 years as a Plant Science major at Cornell University. ;) I'll have to try to work my random facts into the blog more often.

2 comments:

Funky Finds said...

i love these!

Snail Mail Creations said...

What a sweetie! Thanks for posting my Apple Plush! :D
-Jess
Snail Mail Creations
http://snailmailcreations.etsy.com