Many people associate fall with apple picking. The first American apple orchard was planted around 1625 by William Blackstone on Boston’s Beacon Hill. There are about 7,500 varieties of apples in existence throughout the world— about 2,500 of which are grown in the United States. There are sweet apples, sour apples, bitter apples, tart apples, and so many more. The pale, lime green Lady apple is one of the oldest varieties of apple still available today. After nearly a decade with Red Delicious as the apple preference of the United States, Gala apples are now the nation’s favorite. An apple has about 80 calories. They are fat-free, sodium-free, and cholesterol-free and also are an excellent source of fiber. Because of this, apples can easily be used for lots of things. Apples can be turned into everything from applesauce to apple pie or apple cider. Americans eat more apples per capita than any other fruit. According to the USDA Economic Research Service, the average American eats about 16 pounds of fresh apples and 28 pounds of processed apples like juice, cider, or sauce, for a total of about 44 pounds per person per year. A lot of things this fall season will have to be canceled or postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic but apple picking is not one of them. Apple picking is an activity done in an apple orchard.

This being said, it’s outside, and according to the CDC, “Indoor spaces are riskier than outdoor spaces where it might be harder to keep people apart and there’s less ventilation.” So it’s an outdoor activity where you can easily wear a mask and social distance. Therefore, it can still be something you do this fall. Apple picking has been around for over 3 decades and humans have been eating apples since 6500 B.C. Most apples in the world are picked by hand, and some of the most popular apple orchards in Georgia include “BJ Reece Orchards”, “Hillcrest Orchards”, and “Red Apple Barn”. They are all located in Ellijay, which is a popular destination range for apple picking. All in all, it’s definitely an activity you should consider doing this fall.