This weekend’s apple festivals are giving us loads of reasons appreciate apples.

Unlike supermarket apples, those from festivals farmer’s markets have not been tested by the roundness inspector and cloned so they all look identical.

Children who say ‘I don’t like apples.’ Can be answered with, ‘No dear you just don’t like Cox’s Orange Pippin, try a Braeburn this time….’ There are so many varieties this can continue until they are adults.

Traditionally ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’ because they are healthy and fat free, provided you don’t put them in pies or make them into cakes, puddings, cider or wine.

Student’s like to give one to their teacher as a present, although this may be a subconscious wish to poison their them, (remember the wicked queen in Snow White.)

Apple foods make good comfort foods. Apple pie, apple strudel, apple sauce, apple dumplings. They put everyone in mind of a rosy faced granny… the original Granny Smith.

Adults fondly remember scrumping apples from orchards. It seemed a shame not to help yourself to free food hanging on branches. Nowadays it would have to be alcopops or i-pods to get kids interested.