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Health Report: Apples are loaded with flavonoids such as quercetin, important for keeping blood vessels healthy, reducing inflammation throughout the body, preventing DNA damage that can lead to cancer and slowing cancer cell growth and reproduction
late frost. Over the last half of the 20th Century competition from Washington State orchards and foreign growers has become fierce; all of the large packing and storage operations have fallen prey to this demon. Creative out-of-county sales arrangements together with tourist and local sales are important to our current producers.
Even they do grow on trees, apples do not lend themselves to automated harvesting; the old fashioned method (by-hand) still applies. Spraying and pruning are also continuing labor-intensive tasks. Sorting and grading of the fruit is also time consuming.
As with all fruits and vegetables, product ‘shelf appeal’ of the Red Delicious, Granny Smith’s, et.al. is important for sales. Apples, probably more than most other crops, seem to attract an amazing array of insects and diseases necessitating frequent (10-20 times/season) spraying to achieve marketable yields of fruit that is pest-free and ‘look good’ to the consumer. Certain varieties that are disease and pest resistant such as ‘Liberty’ lend themselves to organic production.
Apples have received a fair amount of publicity in recent years because of health benefits. Old timers always knew this. Turns out “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” was not just a catchy phrase you learned from your grandmother. There is science to back it up.
We are fortunate to have some great producers of this oldtime health food right here at our doorsteps. Be sure to salute our heritage, look after your beautiful bod’, and help the local economy by picking up a bushel or two at one of our fine orchards. 4th of July is coming up and there is nothing more American than apple pie!
Note: We are not aware of a great deal of written records on local orchards. The primary source for this article is the wellknown book on Rappahannock history by Johnson & Johnson. The Rappahannock Historical Society would be very interested in receiving additional information on the subject.
“Give me spots on my apples
But spare me the birds and the bees”
f Jom Mitchell
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