Apple Picking



Week 7: Environmental Issue 

On a windy Saturday morning in October, I went to an apple orchard in Milwaukee.  The owners invited people from far and wide to help pick apples so that they could send the apples off to make apple cider.  I personally took a bunch of the apples home to make pies and cakes and cookies with.

When we left, I picked up a half-gallon of apple cider. I know that adding preservatives to food is an issue that can be addressed in environmental education.  I asked the owners of the orchard, and they told me that they only ingredient in their apple cider is apples, and maybe a few pears.  Rather than adding miscellaneous preservatives, they treat their cider with UV Light.  I thought that it was interesting that they don't add chemicals to the cider to treat it.  I had never even heard of using ultraviolet light to treat food, but it seems to be a good alternative to other methods of food processing.

This experience taught me that it's always a good idea to ask about the products that I am consuming.  This is a lesson that I would like to pass on to my students.  I want my students to be inquisitive and ask lots of questions.