Fall Fun in Virginia's Loudoun County

Apple picking at Crooked Run Orchard: the experience was free and the apples were only $1.00/lb, .50 if you picked them up off the ground. 

I was on the virge of plucking one from the ground just under the tree that was perfectly ripe and shaped like a dream, but to my dismay my sister stopped me.  She said "One should never eat apples that have fallen on the ground!" This caused me to immediately drop what appeared to me to be the most perfect apple, ever.

This got me to wondering!  Is it a fact that apples that have fallen on their own should be left on the ground to rot.  Or, is it merely an old wives tale?

We didn't ask the farmer/cashier when we checked out.  The old biddy was rather rude, which hastened our departure.  All she complained about was how all these people were in line and the line kept getting longer.  Umm! Call me silly, but should she be complainng about business when business is good?  Anyhoo!

But, thanks to Google I was able to uncover the mystery, if you can call it that. 

From a website called MissouriFamilies.org I found this statement:

Do not can "windfall apples" (fruit that has blown off the tree) because they are much more likely to contain mold spores, which can result in spoilage of the canned products.

There you have it folks, picking apples from the ground is in fact a no-no.  Besides it is so much more fun to get in and among the branches and reach up as far as you possibly can to grab the apple you spied from below. 

Now, we need to make some pies, fritter, cider and sauce.  Fall is such a yummy time of the year. 

Deborah

Old Dominion Concierge

"We Run Your Errands"