“Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness.” -Jane Austen
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What does climate change have to do with apple pie?
I am sitting in my kitchen as I write this column, when I should be preparing holiday meals. My mind wanders and my hands still as I contemplate the impact of climate change on our food supply. I’m thinking of apple pie; that the most American of desserts is just one example of a multi-ingredient delicacy that will become more difficult to produce in a weather-ravaged future.
While the trees seem to be doing all the work to produce our favorite fall fruits, their sweet flavor can be affected by changes in weather and climate. Consider these facts: Although apples are hardy, extreme high temperatures can be detrimental to orchard crops, as can severe storms. Above average rainfall can have both good and bad effects on apples. Dry weather results in smaller, sweeter apples. Environmental impacts such as climate change, wildfire smoke and pollution are additional challenges for farmers.
Although it is possible to grow apples in warmer climates, apples grow best in areas where the temperature rarely exceeds 90 degrees. Warmer than normal temperatures can cause early flowering which leads to changes in apple firmness and acid concentration levels. Too much heat and sun can actually “sunburn” apples. Excessive heat can alter the color of an apple, leaving it pink or brown instead of red. Softer fruit may result from a number of high heat degree days. Rather than crisp and juicy, the apple can take on a mushy or floury texture.
Besides fruit, many of the ingredients in that most detectable dessert, apple pie, are impacted by climate change, including white sugar, brown sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla.
Studies show that sugarcane and flour production will be affected by warming temperatures. At first, sugarcane production may (temporarily) begin to increase as some regions warm and the range of sugar crops expands, allowing sugarcane to grow in new regions and for different seasons. extended. Ultimately, however, production is thought to drop by up to 60% in the long term.
It is predicted that wheat production may actually increase over time, but this will involve shifting wheat cultivation from the US Midwest to Europe, Asia and South America.
Spices like cinnamon and nutmeg are grown in specific tropical locations, which makes them especially susceptible to changing weather conditions. Nutmeg trees, for example, have very shallow roots. This can be troublesome when combined with the fact that the increased frequency and intensity of hurricanes has already begun to damage existing nutmeg farms and processing plants.
Both Madagascar and Sri Lanka have economies that are highly dependent on vanilla and cinnamon (respectively), which means their economies would be devastated by severe drops in production. These two island nations are likely to face increased droughts, wildfires and heightened flood risks due to rising sea levels and tsunamis, all of which would threaten their food security and agricultural productivity.
People working in the food industry in this country and around the world are trying to find solutions that prioritize crop resilience and adaptability. For example, methods are being developed to address the specific vulnerabilities of nutmeg farms, and alternatives are being developed for crops that are so at risk, such as vanilla and cinnamon.
As the seasons lose their familiar distinctive characteristics due to climate change, so will the traditional markers of their arrival. New leaves and dogwoods in the spring, watermelons, peaches and corn in the summer, apples, pumpkins and brilliant colors in the fall, snowmen in the winter… all of these things could be a thing of the past. by 2050 Apple pie is of course just one practical example of a favorite food that could fall victim to climate change.
For now, in 2022, enjoy the holiday feast. Treat yourself to at least a piece of pie and remember to appreciate all that we have…while we still have it. Happy Thanksgiving, all of you.
Until next time, be kind to your Mother Earth.
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Linda Eve Seth, Speech-Language Pathologist, M.Ed. is a mother, grandmother, concerned citizen and member of Mid-Ohio Valley Climate Action.
