After picking the apples from the tree, Bluto says to Olive, "Pippins for a pippin." The rarely-used-today noun has two definitions: one is a type of apple, while the other is a very admirable person. [Background on the apple: The Pippin is a crisp tart apple with a yellow or greenish-yellow skin strongly flushed with red and used mainly for cooking or cider. It is believed to have originated as a chance seedling (or "pip") in Newtown, New York in the early 18th century. The Pippin quickly became one of the first varieties to be grown in the United States, and George Washington and Thomas Jefferson cultivated the apples at their home estates. In the 19th century, Pippins were exported to London, where they became a favorite of Queen Victoria. In the past few decades, Pippins have fallen out of favor and are difficult to find in grocery stores. They still are available commercially in California and at specialty farms in Washington, Oregon, New York, and Virginia.]
The title refers to the children's song, The Farmer in the Dell.
Bluto uses a popular postwar toy to harvest the apples: a Pogo stick.
At one point, Bluto finds the proverbial needle in a haystack. The notion has attributed to St. Thomas More, who likened a difficult task to seeking a needle in a meadow back in 1532.