Johnny Appleseed Day, celebrated on September 26, marks the traditional birthday of John Chapman, the real man behind the barefoot, tin-pot legend. He spent roughly half a century planting apple nurseries across the American frontier, and the day is a fine excuse to plant something yourself, visit an orchard, and separate the folklore from the surprisingly interesting truth.
The man behind the myth
The storybook Johnny Appleseed wanders the wilderness scattering seeds at random. The real John Chapman was more deliberate and more interesting. A nurseryman and devout follower of the Swedenborgian church, he planted fenced apple nurseries ahead of the westward settlers, tended them, and sold or gave away the seedlings as families arrived. He walked great distances over his lifetime, often barefoot, and was known for his kindness and simple living. He was a shrewd frontier businessman and a genuine eccentric, and the softened cartoon does him a disservice.
Why his apples were not for eating
Here is the detail most people miss: apples grown from seed almost never resemble the parent fruit, and most of Chapman’s trees produced small, sour apples. That was the point. Those apples were destined for cider and applejack, the everyday drinks of the frontier, not the lunchbox. An apple orchard planted from seed was essentially a promise of drink and a legal claim on the land, which is a far cry from the wholesome pie-apple image.
Plant something to mark the day
The best tribute is to grow. Early fall is prime planting weather across much of the country, giving a young tree’s roots time to settle before the ground freezes. Pick a fruit or native tree rated for your zone, dig a hole two to three times as wide as the root ball, and water it in well. If you want to channel Chapman directly, save the seeds from an apple, chill them in the fridge for a couple of months, and try sprouting your own unpredictable seedling.
Celebrate the harvest
September 26 also lands squarely in apple season. Visit a pick-your-own orchard and taste heirloom varieties you will never find in a grocery store, where the same handful of apples tends to crowd out hundreds of others. Take a full bag home and put it to work: a crisp, a pot of sauce, or a jug of pressed cider all honor the season and the man. However you spend it, the day is a reminder that one determined person, working quietly over many years, can leave a landscape changed for good.
How to celebrate
- 1Plant a tree of your own
Honor the day literally: put a tree in the ground. Early fall is ideal planting weather in much of the country, giving roots time to settle before winter. A native or fruit tree suited to your zone is a gift to your future self.
- 2Start an apple from seed
Save the seeds from an apple, chill them in a damp paper towel in the fridge for a couple of months, then plant. Seed-grown apples rarely match the parent fruit, which is exactly how Chapman's wild, cider-bound orchards worked. It is a slow, fascinating experiment.
- 3Learn the real history
The legend is softer than the man. John Chapman was a shrewd nurseryman and devout wanderer who planted fenced apple nurseries ahead of settlers and sold the seedlings. Read up and you trade a barefoot cartoon for a stranger, more interesting figure.
- 4Visit an orchard
Late September is peak apple season across much of the country. Find a pick-your-own orchard, taste varieties you will never see in a supermarket, and notice how many apples exist beyond the same four on the shelf.
- 5Cook something with apples
Put the harvest to use. A simple crisp, a pot of applesauce, or a batch of cider celebrates the season and the man. Homemade applesauce in particular is nearly foolproof and freezes well for winter.