One day I will get into the habit of writing regular, normal blogs, but now I'll just stick to my sporadic off the wall type ones!
Apples. We all know the benefits of eating fruit, and of a healthy lifestyle, and I'm sure that we've all heard the "5 a day" slogan many, many times before. So thankfully I'm not going to harp on about that. Neither am I going to write some kind of New Scientist Style article on a new chemical endorphin found in apples. Actually, I'm talking about the moral side of apples...
It all started in a car. I know, not the best place to start an eco blog, but I was going to my friends house, and it was too far to walk and to dangerous to cycle (a pretty major road there-I cross a line at doing eco things that could result in death). Paying slightly more attention to the road than I normally do- due to the lack of a book and the fact my iPod battery was dead (normally I lose myself in of the two, or even both), I noticed a "Pick Your Own Apples" sign. Being in an apple phase- (I go through phases in fruit eating- first banana, then orange/tangerine, sometimes a seasonal or more exotic fruit- i.e. strawberries or kiwis, then apples- I don't know why I just do), and absolutely loving "Pick your Own", possibly because of the prospect of snacking on job, and the chance to avoid a supermarket- along with DIY stores one of the banes of my life, or just because of some weird in built green instinct. Anyway, I asked Mum and Dad if we could investigate after I went to my friends, and they agreed. We went down this mud track, directed by the sign which I travelled pass everday to get to school, to my friends house and to town, yet had never noticed before, and became slightly worried we'd read the sign right, due to the lack of other signs. But sure enough, at the end of this track was the orchard. We met the owner, who showed us where all the best appples were, asking us which apples we prefered, offered us samples to see whast variety we preferred, and was generally really helpful. We then wen to pick the apples, able to choose the size and variety we wanted, in a brilliant location with views over the rolling countryside (I can't lie and say I live in an urban sprawl and this oasis was unexpected, but it was still lovely), with the reassurance these juicy apples- and pears if we wanted them were grown organically, and carbon free(ish- obviously the seed and our car trip, but relatively). Finally, to top it off, iour huge bag of apples plus 2 cooking apples cost just £2! So now, everytime I eat an apple, its nice to think of the carbon I'm saving- and the gr8 time I had doing it. To steal a phrase from Mark Watson's book, make a funrifice- a fun sacrifice to lower your carbon footprint
Why not investigate "Pick your own" or local produce in your area..?
Please comment, Speak soon,
=0 Adam =)
Posted
Sep 25 2008, 06:53 PM
by
Mad as a Hatter