Death of a Bad Apple Read Free Page B

Abby’s Russian Hill house—my temporary home—I cleaned up in the tiny shower and threw on black jeans, an orange V-neck sweater, and a pair of black Toms. Eager to do some research and check out the Apple Valley Web site so I could start planning the romantic part of the getaway weekend, I opened my laptop and logged on. The official Web site proved to be full of information on everything anybody would want to know about apples.
    Apple Valley is a wonderland of orchards, farms, wineries, breweries, and bed-and-breakfast inns—the perfect place for an out-of-town getaway, a country picnic, or fun with the family. Come pick your own apples right from the trees or gather them from the convenient containers, then sample the apple treats freshly prepared inour kitchens. You’ll find dozens of varieties of apples to choose from, including golden delicious, Granny Smith, Pippin, pink lady, Rome Beauty, Fuji, Gala, and Mutsu, just to name a few. While you’re here, learn about the joys of apple farming, which apples are best for cooking and which are best for eating, and savor the fruits of our labor while viewing acres and acres of apple trees, as far as the eye can see.
    Whoever wrote this stuff made the place sound like Apple Eden. In a good way, of course, without the serpent and all that befell from
that
notorious apple incident. I clicked the link to read about local bed-and-breakfast inns in the Apple Valley area, then tapped on the Enchanted Apple Inn. The more I read, the more I wanted to leave today and not wait another four weeks.
    Welcome to the Enchanted Apple Inn, a luxurious country estate nestled in the sprawling Apple Valley. Come rest your bones, replenish your spirits, and revive your romance at our beautifully restored Victorian home. The rooms are lovingly decorated in an apple theme, with baskets of your favorites at your fingertips. Stop by the tranquil duck pond, stroll through the ample gardens, and sample a complimentary glass of apple wine while you take in the scenic surrounding farms and orchards.
    By the time I finished reading the flowery description, I was ready to move there, permanently. Was this place a slice of apple pie heaven or what? I couldprobably fill my Food Truck Cookbook with nothing but apple recipes.
    I clicked back to the main site to see if there was anything I’d missed. Scanning down to the bottom of the Web site, I noticed a link that read “Note.”
    I tapped the link.
“We are proud to grow only natural, organic, and pesticide-free fruit in Apple Valley. Do not be fooled by artificially manufactured and genetically modified apples.”
    That was an odd thing to add to the promotion information. I remembered Jake had said something about a controversy among the apple growers. My reporter instincts kicked in and I typed “GMO apples” into my search engine. A number of links to genetically modified apples appeared on the screen. I clicked the one at the top and read the headline.
    Eden Apple Corporation—
    Are You Ready for Frankenfruit?
    Wow. Jake was right. Apparently there was a worm in the apple industry. I couldn’t wait to read more. Maybe there was a story in it that could get me back at the
Chron
. Then again, did I really want to go back, now that I was working on a cookbook featuring food truck fare?
    Who wouldn’t want a big perfect apple that doesn’t turn brown when you slice it? Sounds too good to be true, right? But that’s what’s happening in the biotech world of genetic engineering known as GMOs—and thesegenetically modified organisms are coming to a restaurant, fruit stand, and school cafeteria near you. Basically untested, this brave new world of apple modification is unlabeled and drenched in toxic pesticides, posing health risks we’ve not even considered. But companies like Eden Apple, one of the major GMO producers, are growing, and they’re pushing to have their