The wonderful weather this time of year is fabulous for picking apples and pumpkins. The sun is still shinning yet there is a beautiful cool breeze on the open field. As the weather gets a bit cooler we start thinking of some delicious comfort food. Apples and Pumpkins make some great treats. Think warm apple cider and pumpkin pie!
Here are some interesting fun facts about apples and pumpkins:
Apples
- The first apple trees were planted by Pilgrims in Massachusetts Bay Colony.
- The world’s largest apple peel was created by Kathy Wafler Madison on October 16, 1976, in Rochester, NY. It was 172 feet, 4 inches long. (She was 16 years old at the time and grew up to be a sales manager for an apple tree nursery.)
- An apple tree will start bearing fruit 8-10 years after it is planted. A dwarf tree starts bearing in 3-6 years.
- Apples are not self pollinating. They need bees to pollinate the flowers to form the fruit.
- Most apple blossoms are pink when they open but gradually fade to white.
- One apple has 5 grams of fiber, no fat, sodium and cholesterol free. But wait, don’t peel your apple! Two-thirds of the fiber and many of the antioxidants are found in the apple peel.
- The largest apple picked weighed three pounds.
- Apples are a member of the rose family of plants along with pears, peaches, plums and cherries.
- 25% of an apple’s volume is air; that is why they can float. (Ever dunked for an apple?)
- It takes about 36 apples to create one gallon of apple cider.
- Two pounds of apples make one 9 inch pie.
- Most apples are still picked by hand in the fall.
- It takes the energy from 50 leaves to produce one apple.
- Apples are the second most valuable fruit in the United States. Oranges are first.
- The largest U.S. apple crop was 277.3 million bushels in 1998.
- One of George Washington’s hobbies was pruning his apple trees.
- A bushel of apples weighs 42 pounds and will yield 20-24 quarts of applesauce.
Pumpkins
- Pumpkins contain potassium and Vitamin A.
- Pumpkin flowers are edible.
- The largest pumpkin pie ever made was over five feet in diameter and weighed over 350 pounds. It used 80 pounds of cooked pumpkin, 36 pounds of sugar, 12 dozen eggs and took six hours to bake.
- In early colonial times, pumpkins were used as an ingredient for the crust of pies, not the filling.
- Pumpkins were once recommended for removing freckles and curing snake bites.
- The largest pumpkin ever grown weighed 1,140 pounds.
- Pumpkins are 90 percent water.
- Eighty percent of the pumpkin supply in the United States is available in October.
- Native Americans flattened strips of pumpkins, dried them and made mats.
- Native Americans called pumpkins “isqoutm squash.”
- Native Americans used pumpkin seeds for food and medicine.
For those who don’t go apple and pumpkin picking yet would like to enjoy that warm feeling can experience it with our new Harvest Pumpkin place mats and table runners. These beautiful 14″ x 20″ burlap like place mats will give your table a burst of color with the bright and cheerful pumpkin design. Enhance your festivities and enjoy the Harvest Pumpkin Table Runners as well. Another option is to go with the solid Natural Woven place mats and runners which has the look of natural burlap, but with a wonderful soft feel.
Let’s make sure to enjoy the bountiful fruits, vegetables, gorgeous scenery and all of the blessings that Autumn has to offer.
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