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GoneViking on scored.co
1 year ago1 point(+0/-0/+1Score on mirror)
I find the reality of Johnny Appleseed to be much more interesting than the folktales. At the time land was being given away by the government to people, but the people had to prove they were actually living on the land and improving it, not just holding it to sell later. One of the ways you could prove you were improving the land was by starting an orchard, as orchards require maintenance. So what Johhny Appleseed did was he would go to unclaimed land, start an orchard, and the new owners that came later would pay him for the headstart on their homestead.
As others have said, he was starting apples from seed, and apples started from seed are always hybrids and don't necessarily taste like the apple the seed came from. Most eating apples we know today are considered sweet, while cider apples are considered sweet, sharp, bitter or bitter-sharp. I have a number of cider trees on my property that are so bitter or sharp that they are inedible, but make fantastic cider. Most apple trees started from seed make good cider, and cider would have been a primary function of a orchard in Johnny Appleseed's day.
Also, swap out John Henry for Daniel Boone and the meme is perfect.
As others have said, he was starting apples from seed, and apples started from seed are always hybrids and don't necessarily taste like the apple the seed came from. Most eating apples we know today are considered sweet, while cider apples are considered sweet, sharp, bitter or bitter-sharp. I have a number of cider trees on my property that are so bitter or sharp that they are inedible, but make fantastic cider. Most apple trees started from seed make good cider, and cider would have been a primary function of a orchard in Johnny Appleseed's day.
Also, swap out John Henry for Daniel Boone and the meme is perfect.