Sept 26 – Johnny Appleseed Day

Today was an eye-opener for me. I honestly didn’t know who Johnny Appleseed was. I had heard the name, thought he was some fictional character that always had apple seeds with him and maybe through them out of his hat as he walked or something. Turns out he was a real person!

His real name was John Chapman he was born on this day in 1774 or 1775 there are conflicting reports. He was a settler and was very much excited by the movement west across America. He himself headed west and along the way he planted apple trees and would sell them to other settlers. He worked mostly in Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana and is said to have worked on the orchards for over 40 years. He also made jelly and cider with the apples.

I too was headed west today from Rotterdam back home to Seattle, WA. I was trying to find an apple to spread its seeds along my way home to honor Johnny, but that didn’t work out. Then I decided I would plant imaginary apple trees along my way. Johnny had 40 years to work on his orchards, and I had about 40 seconds. Jared and I had to run to catch the metro, then run to the tram, then run to the train, and then…you guess it…run to the plane – I am not joking when I say we had to run. We made it to everything thankfully…however, this allowed little time for the “planting” of my seeds. (This is also why I didn’t have time to get a real apple).

The pictures are of me planting one this morning in Rotterdam, and one on the tram. Kind of pathetic, I know, but use your imagination.

Eat up the apples today and think of Johnny…he may have started the orchard where your apple came from!