Apple of My Eye: Happy Birthday Johnny Appleseed!

Johnny Appleseed left an indelible mark on American history with his pioneer spirit, strength, and agricultural know-how which shaped the landscape of the nation. Hundreds of beautiful apple trees were planted  to feed weary settlers by this remarkable patriot who was born John Chapman in Leominster, Massachusetts on September 26, 1774. He is best known for the cooking pot that he wore as his chapeau, seed sack,  and his bare feet which helped carry him on his planting travels.

He operated many tree nurseries in the Midwest and Northeast. The states where his nurseries were located included Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky.

Johnny Appleseed died in 1845 and is buried in a cemetery in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The following is a picture of the grave site of Johnny Appleseed.

Picture Source: http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=21560 (This is also a great site for more information about Johnny Appleseed).

Things to do to celebrate Johnny Appleseed's Birthday:

1. Go to the library and read books about Johnny Appleseed and apples.
2. Cook up some delicious applesauce or apple muffins. Check out allrecipes.com for some of the yummiest apple recipes ever.
3. Make a fantastic Johnny Appleseed character craft from  Janice's Daycare Johnny Appleseed Character and Coloring Sheets (See third row for Johnny Appleseed stand-up character)
4. Cut apple shapes out of paper and scatter them around the room and have an apple hunt!
5. Design your own Johnny Appleseed pot hat crafts from craft foam. Make A Foam Johnny Appleseed Hat
6. Cut an apple in half and dip in red, yellow or green paint to make apple prints on a piece of white or light-colored construction paper.
7. Retell the story The Little Red House with No Doors or Windows and a Star Inside using an apple. The Little Red House with No Doors or Windows and a Star Inside