I love fruit. Living in a big city as I do, there are few fruits that cannot be purchased somewhere in the city year round. But I prefer to eat seasonally. The other day, I went out to buy my lunch at a nearby chain grocery store that offers a surprising variety of ready-to-eat foods at reasonable prices. While there, I picked up a few apples and multipack of yogurt, for snacks at work.
I recently discovered a new (to me) variety of apples called Red Prince. They are similar to Empire and are firm, crunchy, slightly tart and quite juicy. One of my favourite snacks is apple slices with peanut butter – a satisfying, delicious and healthy snack.
Sitting at my computer at work later, I impulsively Googled “which fruit has the most varieties” and learned that apples do – over 7,500 different varieties. It is widely believed that the apple was the “forbidden fruit” on the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil that Adam and Eve disobediently and sinfully sampled, at serpent Satan’s urging. Read all about it in Genesis, the first book of the Holy Bible.
Among the other stories listed on the search page was one about Sam Van Aken, an Art professor from Syracuse University who grew up on a farm before turning to art. In 2008, he heard about an old orchard at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station that was going to be shut down for lack of funding. He took action and did something quite amazing. You can read his story here: https://www.sciencealert.com/this-tree-produces-40-different-types-of-fruit.
This got me to thinking about God and the human race. The Israelites were God’s Chosen People, in the beginning. Later, after Jesus Christ lived, died, was resurrected and returned to his eternal home, that special position of favour with God was opened up to every race on planet earth. Seemingly, like Mr. van Aken’s tree of 40 fruit, God lovingly and gracious grafted branches of every nation onto his Tree of Life, which is rooted in Jesus Christ.
Pretty amazing, isn’t it?
So the answer to my title question is “yes” and “no”. God created each type of tree and, in His own way, he grafted the branches to create new kinds of trees. He gave humans the knowledge and ability to do the same in a small way. Like Sam Van Aken, and his tree of 40 fruit.
Maybe not a deep or profound or even unique thought, but still, kind of neat, isn’t it?
verawrites 
I probably can’t top anything you have said here, Vera.
Of course, I am immediately reminded of the exquisitely tender poem by Joyce Kilmer. It makes me cry every single time I recite it. It can be sung too, I learned the song in high school.
Your post is more about apples than trees but for me, a nature lover, an animal advocate, a vegan and tree-hugger, the subject is fraught with despair and emotion. If God made us, I wish he had given us more of a kind hearted nature. We are a very cruel and selfish species, imho.
As for apples, my favorite is one only available in certain parts of the world, probably largely the Northeast of the US, and only for a few weeks in October, the Macoun. It is a cross between a Macintosh and a Jersey Black. Very dry-tart, crisp and delicate. I miss them and have one whenever I am lucky enough to be in New England in the fall.
In any event, that is what your post elicited in me. Oh and by the way, have you ever had apples with sunflower seed butter? I make my own in a food processer and it’s sophisticated taste goes perfectly with tart apples.
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Glad to trigger some reminiscences Beth 🙂 I like apples with almond or peanut butter – a yummy and nutritious snack. Especially with tart apples like Macintosh or even Fuji. Now it’s summer, I’m enjoying other fruits in season (esp strawberries) but apples are one of my favourite things about autumn.
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Yes, of course. We are eating lots of berries and especially cherries right now. A few peaches. We try to eat local and seasonal, and the rainbow, of course 😀
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