Articles:

The foreign origins of American apple pie

Liberation Story:

Apples have long symbolized opportunity—but behind many orchards is a story of resilience.
You might bite into a crisp Vermont apple without realizing the hands that helped grow it. For generations, immigrant farmworkers—many from Mexico and Central America—have come to the U.S. to support their families and contribute to the harvest.

Apples aren’t native to North America. Like many immigrants, they’ve traveled and adapted. Brought over by colonists, cultivated by Indigenous and immigrant farmers alike, apples now grow in nearly every U.S. state.

Just as the apple took root in new soil, immigrant communities have nourished this land— through labor, knowledge, stories, and food traditions that enrich our collective food culture. Their role is central, even if it’s often easily overlooked.