Happy Birthday Johnny Appleseed!!

Happy Birthday to Johnny Appleseed!! Johnny Appleseed, whose real name was actually John Chapman, (September 26, 1774 – March 18, 1845) is most well-known for the introduction of the apple tree into parts of America. John traveled around planting nurseries of apple trees, then fencing them in to protect them from livestock and other animals. Every year or two he would go back to the location of his nursery and check on them! His date or death and location of rest are both disputed, but either way Johnny Appleseed did a fantastic work by helping to establish apple orchards in America.

Not only could the apples harvested in the colonies be used for apple cider, but the unpasteurized cide provided Vitamin C and Vitamin B12 – both necessary for proper nutrition. This was especially vital if an area had contaminated water. Did you know that it is claimed that Johnny Appleseed was a vegetarian?

I wish we still lived close to Indiana because there is a large Johnny Appleseed festival (38th annual!) in Fort Wayne. There are parks, schools, sports teams, and all sorts of other things named after Johnny Appleseed. In 1966, the US Postal Service even designed a 5 cent stamp honoring Johnny
Appleseed. And most children at some point in their childhood are told the fairy-tale like story of Johnny Appleseed and his good deed of spreading the apple seed.