There’s a very good reason why “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Rich in antioxidants, fiber and healthy phytochemicals, apples are delicious home-grown ingredients at this time of year.  Apples are simply the perfect fall fruit.

Here are some of Sanctuary Soil’s favorite apple recipes, as well as a few gardening resources.

Fresh picked apples can be found at farmers markets, farm stands and local grocery stores.One of the easiest ways to eat seasonal foods now is to incorporate more apples into your diet during fall and early-winter.

You’ll find a wide variety of different apples for purchase at your favorite farmers’ markets, fruit stands and grocery stores.

Here are 10 reasons to eat apples from Mother Nature Network.

Growing Apples

Believe it or not, it is possible to grow apples in your own backyard without pesticides. However, it takes careful preparation.  You’ll want to pick the right apple varieties, for example, and practice good organic gardening practices.

For organic apple growing tips, don’t miss this article on how to grow no-spray organic apples from Vegetable Gardener.

Here’s more general apple growing advice from Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Growing apples without chemicals is easier with this expert advice.Low-Chill and Cold-Climate Apples

Live in Southern California or Texas?  Keep in mind most apple varieties require 500 to 1000 hours below 45° F (7° C), according to University of California Riverside.

Fortunately, there are a number of apples that grow with less chilling, such as ‘Beverly Hills’, ‘Tropical Beauty’ and ‘Gala’.

Learn more about these low-chill apple varieties from University of California.

If you live in a cold climate and want apple growing advice, here’s gardening advice and good apple varieties from the University of Idaho.

Apple growers in California buy buckaroo worm castings to make fruit tastier.Organic worm castings, such as Buckaroo, are a popular way to feed apple trees. Here at Sanctuary Soils, we sell truckloads of Buckaroo to  professional fruit growers who apply these worm castings in the spring to make their fruit tastier.

Mother Nature’s original fertilizer, worm castings are an effective, sustainable soil amendment.  Worm castings also help the soil retain water and normalize pH levels, as well as stimulate plant growth and reduce plant diseases.

Eating Apples

Whether your apples are homegrown or bought, you’ll find lots of ways to use these fall fruits in the kitchen.

Apple cobblers and crisps are a great way to eat this fall fruit.Apple cobbler with a crunchy, cinnamon-laden crust is a popular way to eat this healthy fruit.

Here’s a fall fruit cobbler recipe that will satisfy your family and friends from Fiskars.

At other times of the year, replace the apples with other seasonal fruits in this easy dessert recipe.

Summer berries, pears and rhubarb are some of the other fruits that work well in this cobbler.

Baked apples with raisins, cinnamon and other fall spices are easy to love.

The smell of this easy dessert in the oven is the ultimate aromatherapyBaked apples are a delicious dessert with a wonderful aroma. treatment for a crisp autumn day.

Give it a try and you’ll see exactly what we mean.

Here’s a delightful and aromatic recipe for Spiced Baked Apples from Taste of Home.

Toffee Apples bring out the kid in all of us, especially around Halloween.  The challenge is all the sugar and food coloring that so many toffee recipes require to make these delicious desserts.

This toffee apple recipe is healthier than most.Fortunately, we found a healthier organic caramel apple recipe from Whole Lifestyle Nutrition that uses honey and organic brown sugar instead.  She adds crushed nuts, which look quite yummy on apples.

However you decide to enjoy autumn apples in the kitchen, we hope you’ll include this fall fruit more often in your diet this season.

As Martin Luther said long ago, “Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.”