Dave Smith wrote:
> On 24/10/2012 5:18 PM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
>
>>>> People forget that apples are a seasonal crop. Only those fresh
>>>> picked at the height of ripeness will taste good. But most
>>>> apples are
>>>> harvested way early and are storaged and/or shipped to the
>>>> opposite
>>>> pole (opposite pole does likewise).
>>>
>>> Seasonal to a degree. They aren't like peaches, which have to
>>> be eaten
>>> or processed within a couple says of picking. Apples tend to
>>> keep for a
>>> while. Most of the larger operations keep them in cold storage
>>> and they
>>> keep for months.
>>
>> They may not spoil in storage but after about a month apple
>> flavor and
>> texture deteriorates dramatically... no matter how heavily waxed.
>
>
> Sure it does, but apples, like root vegetables tend to have a
> longer life than a lot of other produce. Apples and pears tend to
> get mealy after a while, but are often still nice than having them
> canned.
>
>
>
>> those meant for storage are harvested early, way before they've
>> reached their peak. Stupidmarket peaches are harvested way underipe
>> also. Peaches picked hard will never taste nearly as good as tree
>> ripened, they're in the same catagory as stupidmarket tomatoes.
>
>
> I live in the middle of the Niagara peninsula. I don't get peaches
> from the supermarket.... or cherries, apricots, strawberries,
> raspberries etc. I get them from the local fruit stands. I accept
> the fact that I am spoiled because I can get sour cherries within
> minutes of them being picked, and with sour cherries, that makes a
> world of difference. The peaches we get are ripe and ready to eat.
> Strawberries are at their peak.
>
> Any time that I think about moving somewhere else my dreams are
> immediately reined back by the realization that I would no longer
> have access to so much fresh fruit.
>
>
>> Orchardmen know precisely when to harvest crops for each use, they
>> constantly check with a brix meter. Most apples that are picked at
>> peak ripeness are made into sauce, cidar, juice, etc., some minor
>> quantity are sold locally.
>
> In an ideal world. Most orchards are small operations, often run
> by men who have full time jobs and who have to arrange vacation
> time to look after the harvest. The larger apple orchards tend to
> grow a variety of apples, and for a number of reasons. They don't
> want to invest everything into one particular breed that might
> fall out of favour or be subject to some sort of infestation, but
> also to account for their different ripeness periods.
>
> They have crews of workers who go through the trees and take just
> about every single apple off a tree, peak of perfection or not.
> They are often paid piecework. They will get every apple they can
> reach before they move their ladders. If they leave too many
> apples on the trees they will have to go back and pick them again.
> That may mean moving the ladder for each apple they pick. At the
> rates they are paid they won't be making any money doing that.
>
>
Ah yes, I am frequenting smaller and smaller farm stands. The
smallest, most ramshackle one is my favorite--and is the one that
grows its own peaches, berries, and other things. The peaches in
the supermarkets have been pretty bad. This year they were even
worse than usual, even if they seemed to be somewhat ripe and had
a peach odor.

I do envy those of you who can get fresh sour cherries. Here, we
either don't see them in the markets at all, or they are here for
the blink of an eye.