.png)
Do you know where your nearest apple tree is? Do you pass one on your walk to school? Have you spotted apple tree branches hanging over someone’s garden fence? Maybe you even have one in your garden? Have you noticed any apples on it? 2021 has been a very difficult year for apples - apparently too much rain, and too many spring frosts. Some apple farmers say they are down to half their normal crop size, pears have fared even worse. Climate Change and unpredictable weather is already having an impact on our harvests. So, if you can find yourself an apple to pick from a tree (check with your parent/carer first!) – make sure you enjoy it!!
Your challenge this week is to steer clear of imported fruit. Do you think you could swap pineapple, mango, melon, grapes, blueberries for an apple a day for a week?! Buying seasonal, local fruit can help cut our carbon emissions – saving energy that’s used for: growing out of season, longer-term storage and transportation.
Can you see how many different varieties of British apples you can find in your local shop/market? You might need to check the labels to find out where they come from – their ‘country of origin’. Can you be brave and try something new – make sure it’s grown locally!? What does it smell like? Taste like? – crisp or crunchy? Sweet or tangy? Is it red, green, brown or stripy?
Remember to HIT THE RED BUTTON when you have completed this challenge and swapped imported fruits for home grown apples.
If a neighbour or friend has an apple tree maybe you could offer to help them with picking their apple harvest? Don’t dismiss the windfalls (the apples that have already ripened enough to fall to the ground) – you might need to cut off the bruises or cut out the insect holes – but there is often still lots of great ‘apple’ within it! If you can’t find an apple tree in your neighbourhood – how about an outing to a ‘pick your own’ farm?– Look here to find out if you have one nearby – https://uk.pickyourown.farm/farms/apples/. When you need a break from picking, why not find a comfy spot underneath the tree and look up at the canopy? What autumn colours can you see? What does the bark feel like? Can you hear any birds, insects or animals? If you breathe deeply, can you smell the apples???
How many different ways can you come up with to eat an apple? Slices, sticks, rings or cubes… dipped in peanut butter, cream cheese or melted chocolate…. scattered on your favourite breakfast cereal… added to cheese on toast. Maybe you like to munch an apple straight from the bowl… or could you make an apple crumble to share with your family? If you want to take apple slices to school, you can dip them in a mixture of 1 part lemon juice to 3 parts water to stop them going brown.
Remember to HIT THE RED BUTTON when you have completed this challenge! And please share some pictures of your apple creations if you’d like to see them on our website
