Senior Living

An old Welsh proverb of the 1800s advised, “Eat an apple on going to bed and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread.”

That phrase is considered the origin of the saying “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

Apples were not indigenous to North America. They were brought in from Central Asia.

I remember growing up in Ohio learning about Johnny Appleseed. This itinerant missionary went around planting apple groves and selling them to farmers to fund his endeavors.

Actually, the apples Johnny grew were not the kind for eating but for making an alcoholic apple cider.

Nevertheless, apples eventually became part of a symbol for American life, like hot dogs.

Most of the best apple orchards are in eastern states. South Carolina has a couple of good upstate orchards.

My favorite place to go apple picking is Stepps Hillcrest Orchard in Hendersonville, NC. Stepps is consistently voted in the top 10 orchards in America.

Of about 2,500 varieties of apples, the most common that we pick are Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, McIntosh, Rome Beauty, Fuji, Jonathan,

York, Stayman and Gala.

Apples can be picked

over a long season from

June to December in different parts of the country.

We usually go in September with a group of

senior adults. It’s fun and

most all public orchards

will let you buy apples

pre-picked or you-pick.

I usually just pick half

a bushel for about $12. That and a jar of peanut butter will disappear in about 3 weeks.

Next: Where would we be without memory?