The apple, harbinger of autumn

Along with all the garden bounty that comes this time of year is one of my favorites, the apple. It is a crop that has deep roots here along the Front Range. Young and mature apple trees can be found in backyards, along old ditches, and in managed orchards.

Apple orchards took off in the area in the late 1800s and for a time there was a thriving industry here. While those days are gone and the...