Our group visit to Applefest was a nice break from the frantic midterm cramming I had been doing. Of course, I knew we would learn a little about the apple trade as well, but I was surprised at just how much there was to know. We learned a little about the Snapdragon and the Ruby Frost apple, and apparently quite a lot of thought goes into their naming. I suppose it makes sense to have an undercurrent of a suggestion in the name of an apple to attract consumers, but the thought that goes into naming them is far more than I would have guessed.

We spoke a little about the genetic modifications of apples and the reasons behind doing so. In order to entice children to eat their packed sliced apples, the Ruby Frost is meant to not brown when sliced. I thought this was a great idea, since I also don’t love browned apples. But then that got me thinking- exactly how good are apples for us anyways? I know they say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but aren’t they pretty high in sugar? I’m not a dietician and I don’t know, but I can say that all of my apple foods kept me very happy at the festival.

There were a ton of apple vendors, jewelry vendors, and artist vendors at the fair. I was thrilled to see so many people selling their handcrafted art. To me, even baked goods are an art. But mainly I was impressed by the various candles, paintings, jewelry, and clothing that people made. I realized that the applefest is a great way for independent artists to get their stuff out into the world and be appreciated. I’m glad Ithaca provides a means for independent artists to get recognition, and I hope they maybe institute more ways for them to get out there in the future.