On Oct 24, 7:23*am, "Julie Bove" > wrote:
> "Somebody" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
> > My brother visiting from SF said although he can get Macintoshes out there
> > they are from Washington and not as good as the ones back east (NY,
> > Michigan). *Hard to find Macs here, but ValuMarket had some. *He bought a
> > bag to take back with him.
>
> Could be ours are slightly different? *Our complaint here is that the best
> apples get sent out of state.

No. A Washington state Red Delicious is a waste of calories.

I'm old enough to remember when Red Delicious apples were. Now all
they are is Red.

On 24/10/2012 11:38 AM, spamtrap1888 wrote:
> On Oct 24, 7:23 am, "Julie Bove" > wrote:
>> "Somebody" > wrote in message
>>
>> ...
>>
>>> My brother visiting from SF said although he can get Macintoshes out there
>>> they are from Washington and not as good as the ones back east (NY,
>>> Michigan). Hard to find Macs here, but ValuMarket had some. He bought a
>>> bag to take back with him.
>>
>> Could be ours are slightly different? Our complaint here is that the best
>> apples get sent out of state.
>
> No. A Washington state Red Delicious is a waste of calories.
>
> I'm old enough to remember when Red Delicious apples were. Now all
> they are is Red.
>


Heck. Even I am not that old. Even when I was a kid in the 50s I thought
that Delicious was a misnomer.

"spamtrap1888" > wrote in message
news:517841bb-b329-40d0-8f33-

I'm old enough to remember when Red Delicious apples were. Now all
they are is Red.

========

There's a lot of truth in that.

Cheri

On Oct 24, 1:52*pm, "Cheri" > wrote:
> "spamtrap1888" > wrote in message
>
> news:517841bb-b329-40d0-8f33-
>
> I'm old enough to remember when Red Delicious apples were. Now all
> they are is Red.
>
> ========
>
> There's a lot of truth in that.

Most of the worst apples I've had were Red Delicious, but some of the
very best have been as well. In RD, great taste seems to correlate
with crispness. Of course, there are many folks who don't like the
unique flavor of even the most perfect RD. I don't really like
Jonathans.
>
> Cheri

--Bryan

Bryan wrote:

> Most of the worst apples I've had were Red Delicious, but some of the
> very best have been as well.

Heh. When I was a kid, stores had RD, Mac, and occasionally GD apples.

The best apple I can remember eating was in Paris. It resembled a Red
Delicious in shape, but the flavor was far beyond. I bought it from a
street vendor without knowing what I was getting.

On Wed, 24 Oct 2012 11:51:55 -0700, "Cheri" >
wrote:

>"spamtrap1888" > wrote in message
>news:517841bb-b329-40d0-8f33-
>
>I'm old enough to remember when Red Delicious apples were. Now all
>they are is Red.
>
>========
>
>There's a lot of truth in that.
>
>Cheri

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). I live smack dab in apple
country, but I buy apples during harvest season, typically at the
orchard farm stands. Or I wait until it's harvest season in South
America and buy the imports. People today are spoiled, they expect
every type of fresh produce all year... then they buy out of season
and bitch about the quality. Also there are many, many types of
apples, everyone has their favorites for the same reason Baskin and
Robbins has 31 flavors.

On 24/10/2012 3:51 PM, George M. Middius wrote:
> Bryan wrote:
>
>> Most of the worst apples I've had were Red Delicious, but some of the
>> very best have been as well.
>
> Heh. When I was a kid, stores had RD, Mac, and occasionally GD apples.
>
> The best apple I can remember eating was in Paris. It resembled a Red
> Delicious in shape, but the flavor was far beyond. I bought it from a
> street vendor without knowing what I was getting.
>
>


The best I ever had were Snow Apples. There used to be an orchard next
to me and behind that there was some property owned by the Jockey Club.
It was where they go the sand for the two local race tracks(now only one
and soon to be none) There were about 2 acres of that with apple trees
that the farmer "took care of" for the Jockey club, and off to the side
was one Snow Apple tree. They are best harvested about a freeze. The
flesh is super white with the occasional put tinged with pink. They are
really tasty apples.

My wife has been buying Cortlands lately and using them for apple sauce
and apple pies as well as eating them. I don't eat raw apple. The apple
farmer keeps trying to get her to try the golden delicious but she can't
get over her lack of appreciation for Delicious. There is no way she
will get any kind of Delicious apple so long as there are other choices.

On 24/10/2012 4:07 PM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
i
>
> 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.

On 10/24/2012 4:23 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
> On 24/10/2012 3:51 PM, George M. Middius wrote:
>> Bryan wrote:
>>
>>> Most of the worst apples I've had were Red Delicious, but some of the
>>> very best have been as well.
>>
>> Heh. When I was a kid, stores had RD, Mac, and occasionally GD apples.
>>
>> The best apple I can remember eating was in Paris. It resembled a Red
>> Delicious in shape, but the flavor was far beyond. I bought it from a
>> street vendor without knowing what I was getting.
>>
>>
>
>
> The best I ever had were Snow Apples. There used to be an orchard next
> to me and behind that there was some property owned by the Jockey Club.
> It was where they go the sand for the two local race tracks(now only one
> and soon to be none) There were about 2 acres of that with apple trees
> that the farmer "took care of" for the Jockey club, and off to the side
> was one Snow Apple tree. They are best harvested about a freeze. The
> flesh is super white with the occasional put tinged with pink. They are
> really tasty apples.
>
> My wife has been buying Cortlands lately and using them for apple sauce
> and apple pies as well as eating them. I don't eat raw apple. The apple
> farmer keeps trying to get her to try the golden delicious but she can't
> get over her lack of appreciation for Delicious. There is no way she
> will get any kind of Delicious apple so long as there are other choices.

I think your wife is correct; the "Delicious" apple is false advertizing
or misrepresentation.

--
Jim Silverton (Potomac, MD)

Extraneous "not" in Reply To.

On Wed, 24 Oct 2012 16:27:33 -0400, Dave Smith
> wrote:

>On 24/10/2012 4:07 PM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
>i
>>
>> 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. And
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.
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.

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.

Bryan wrote:
>
> Most of the worst apples I've had were Red Delicious, but some of the
> very best have been as well. In RD, great taste seems to correlate
> with crispness.

I'm with you. Seems like every time I buy a 3lb bag on sale they are mushy
and nasty. But if I hand select the larger ones that aren't bagged, they
are truely "Delicious." Very crisp and great for plain eating, apple pie,
and also on crackers with sharp cheddar.

Gary

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). I live smack dab in apple
> country, but I buy apples during harvest season, typically at the
> orchard farm stands. Or I wait until it's harvest season in South
> America and buy the imports. People today are spoiled, they expect
> every type of fresh produce all year... then they buy out of season
> and bitch about the quality. Also there are many, many types of
> apples, everyone has their favorites for the same reason Baskin and
> Robbins has 31 flavors.

Sheldon. I have to ask. With your nice large property ("where the deer and
the antelope play"), and you live in apple country, why haven't you planted
several apple trees? You could have a large harvest each fall and deal with
the freshest of apples. Also, any that you don't use that fall on the
ground, your deer would love to eat them up. Deer love apples.

G.

Dave Smith > wrote:
> The best I ever had were Snow Apples.


<sighing with longing>

> The apple farmer keeps trying to get her to try the golden
> delicious ... ...


sounds like an odd apple farmer to me, unless he knows something
we don't know, but as long as there's anything else other
that "Red Delicious" I wouldn't want to try them either.

One city bred person of my acquaintance knew only Red and Golden
Delicious, and her rule wasy "buy only yellow apples" Had
never heard of others. Alas, I was not au courant with the local
farmer's market scene then.

Dave Smith > wrote:
> Apples tend to keep for a while.


I ate Winesaps from the ordinary supermarket into January,
even February. Not quite as good as Octobers, but fine
for my tast.

This was about 200 mi. south of NYC.

On Wed, 24 Oct 2012 18:23:34 -0400, Gary > wrote:

>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). I live smack dab in apple
>> country, but I buy apples during harvest season, typically at the
>> orchard farm stands. Or I wait until it's harvest season in South
>> America and buy the imports. People today are spoiled, they expect
>> every type of fresh produce all year... then they buy out of season
>> and bitch about the quality. Also there are many, many types of
>> apples, everyone has their favorites for the same reason Baskin and
>> Robbins has 31 flavors.
>
>Sheldon. I have to ask. With your nice large property ("where the deer and
>the antelope play"), and you live in apple country, why haven't you planted
>several apple trees? You could have a large harvest each fall and deal with
>the freshest of apples. Also, any that you don't use that fall on the
>ground, your deer would love to eat them up. Deer love apples.

I planted two apple trees. Last year I got some apples but this year
none. Growing crops of any kind is a gamble, if it's not the weather
it's bugs. And then there're birds, squirrels, and other critters.

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.

And some apples are better *after* being in cold storage for a while.
Russets are a prime example but I haven't seen any in years.

There are some others that I was reading about a month or so ago- but
the names escape me.

Jim

On Wed, 24 Oct 2012 17:18:41 -0400, Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:

>On Wed, 24 Oct 2012 16:27:33 -0400, Dave Smith
> wrote:
>
>>On 24/10/2012 4:07 PM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
>>i
>>>
>>> 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. And
>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.
>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.

The commercially picked apples around here do not get waxed. They are
kept in huge humidity/temperature controlled rooms.
Janet US

On Wed, 24 Oct 2012 19:23:46 -0400, Jim Elbrecht >
wrote:
snip
>
>And some apples are better *after* being in cold storage for a while.
>Russets are a prime example but I haven't seen any in years.
>
>There are some others that I was reading about a month or so ago- but
>the names escape me.
>
>Jim
Are those the green ones with a rough surface that is speckled brown
and are hard as rocks until you wrap them in paper in the basement
until about Christmas time? My mom always made sure we got a bushel
of those. The darkest, creepiest part of our basement was given over
to many bushels of apples wrapped in paper during the late fall and
winter.
Janet US

"Brooklyn1" <Gravesend1> wrote in message
...

> 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). I live smack dab in apple
> country, but I buy apples during harvest season, typically at the
> orchard farm stands.

you lucky *******.

"Brooklyn1" <Gravesend1> wrote in message
...

> I planted two apple trees. Last year I got some apples but this year
> none. Growing crops of any kind is a gamble, if it's not the weather
> it's bugs. And then there're birds, squirrels, and other critters.

If you can't get them to use IUDs, perhaps you can put the Pill in the
apples?
http://www.wsbradio.com/news/news/na...eptives/nSdyc/

On Wed, 24 Oct 2012 16:23:57 -0400, Dave Smith
> wrote:

> The apple
> farmer keeps trying to get her to try the golden delicious but she can't
> get over her lack of appreciation for Delicious. There is no way she
> will get any kind of Delicious apple so long as there are other choices.

Is there a difference between Yellow Delicious and Golden Delicious?

--
I take life with a grain of salt, a slice of lemon and a shot of tequila

On Wed, 24 Oct 2012 18:38:21 -0600, Janet Bostwick
> wrote:

>On Wed, 24 Oct 2012 17:18:41 -0400, Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:
>
>>On Wed, 24 Oct 2012 16:27:33 -0400, Dave Smith
> wrote:
>>
>>>On 24/10/2012 4:07 PM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
>>>i
>>>>
>>>> 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.
-snip-
>
>The commercially picked apples around here do not get waxed. They are
>kept in huge humidity/temperature controlled rooms.
>Janet US

Sheldon is talking out his butt again. I'm about an hour from him
and the only waxed apples I've seen for sale are in the grocery store
and they are those '(not so) Delicious' things - mostly from
Washington State.

Jim

On Wed, 24 Oct 2012 18:48:23 -0600, Janet Bostwick
> wrote:

>On Wed, 24 Oct 2012 19:23:46 -0400, Jim Elbrecht >
>wrote:
>snip
>>
>>And some apples are better *after* being in cold storage for a while.
>>Russets are a prime example but I haven't seen any in years.
>>
>>There are some others that I was reading about a month or so ago- but
>>the names escape me.
>>
>>Jim
>Are those the green ones with a rough surface that is speckled brown
>and are hard as rocks until you wrap them in paper in the basement
>until about Christmas time? My mom always made sure we got a bushel
>of those. The darkest, creepiest part of our basement was given over
>to many bushels of apples wrapped in paper during the late fall and
>winter.

Those are the ones. There was a tree behind our house when I was a
kid. Even the worms left them alone. I liked them right off
the tree after a hard frost. But normal folks waited until winter
to eat them and cook with them.

I found an orchard online that said they had some-- but when I emailed
the guy he said he had just planted some grafts 2 years ago so he
wouldn't have any to sell for a while yet.

Jim

On Wed, 24 Oct 2012 16:23:57 -0400, Dave Smith
> wrote:

> The apple
> farmer keeps trying to get her to try the golden delicious but she can't
> get over her lack of appreciation for Delicious. There is no way she
> will get any kind of Delicious apple so long as there are other choices.

Is there a difference between Yellow Delicious and Golden Delicious?

--
I take life with a grain of salt, a slice of lemon and a shot of tequila

On 25/10/2012 9:30 PM, sf wrote:
> On Wed, 24 Oct 2012 16:23:57 -0400, Dave Smith
> > wrote:
>
>> The apple
>> farmer keeps trying to get her to try the golden delicious but she can't
>> get over her lack of appreciation for Delicious. There is no way she
>> will get any kind of Delicious apple so long as there are other choices.
>
> Is there a difference between Yellow Delicious and Golden Delicious?
>
Good question. I don't eat apples, and my wife won't buy Delicious for
herself.

On Thu, 25 Oct 2012 22:13:43 -0400, Dave Smith
> wrote:

>On 25/10/2012 9:30 PM, sf wrote:
>> On Wed, 24 Oct 2012 16:23:57 -0400, Dave Smith
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> The apple
>>> farmer keeps trying to get her to try the golden delicious but she can't
>>> get over her lack of appreciation for Delicious. There is no way she
>>> will get any kind of Delicious apple so long as there are other choices.
>>
>> Is there a difference between Yellow Delicious and Golden Delicious?
>>
>Good question. I don't eat apples, and my wife won't buy Delicious for
>herself.

Red and Golden Delicious are similarly configured but they taste very
different and so is their texture different... I prefer the reds,
they're tarter and crisper.
http://www.nyapplecountry.com/golden.htm
http://www.nyapplecountry.com/reddelicious.htm
Here is what remains of a peck of red delicious I bought a week ago at
Schnuck's Farm, I grew the squash:
http://i49.tinypic.com/2nq9op.jpg
All yoose who complain about delicious apples are buying storage crop,
and they were picked early so they would keep longer... those would be
mealy and flavorless. Those in plastic bags at sale price are
especially awful.

On 10/26/2012 9:45 AM, Brooklyn1 wrote:

> Here is what remains of a peck of red delicious I bought a week ago at
> Schnuck's Farm, I grew the squash:
> http://i49.tinypic.com/2nq9op.jpg


Nice photo but I've never seen a Red Delicious with that speckled skin.

gloria p

Brooklyn1 wrote:
>
> http://i49.tinypic.com/2nq9op.jpg
> All yoose who complain about delicious apples are buying storage crop,
> and they were picked early so they would keep longer... those would be
> mealy and flavorless. Those in plastic bags at sale price are
> especially awful.

Thank you, Sheldon. I prefer the Red Delicious apples for all things.

You are correct though...the 3 lb bags of them or whatever are always mushy
and not worth bothering with. I think the ppl here that talk crap about
them are just cheap and buy those nasty sale bags.

I hand-pick the fresh, firm, larger Red Delicious apples at the store and
I've never been disappointed. I pay a bit more for those but the price is
worth it.

Gary

On Fri, 26 Oct 2012 10:41:03 -0600, gloria p >
wrote:

>On 10/26/2012 9:45 AM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
>
>> Here is what remains of a peck of red delicious I bought a week ago at
>> Schnuck's Farm, I grew the squash:
>> http://i49.tinypic.com/2nq9op.jpg
>
>
>Nice photo but I've never seen a Red Delicious with that speckled skin.

There are several types of red delicious apples, and appearance is
also a result of the climate in which it is grown. Often those at
stupidmarkets are of the deep red shiney/waxy skin with the
distinct/pronounced red delicious apple shape, typical of Washington
State. I prefer to buy apples at the local farm stands, where they
insist you taste before buying.
http://www.orangepippin.com/apples/red-delicious
There are many apple orchards near where I live:
http://www.nyapplecountry.com/pick.php?county=greene
I usually buy apples right down the road at Boehm Farm.
I also like www.indianladderfarms.com, a great day trip for kids, but
can be crowded. New York State apples are much superior to those from
the PNW.

On Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:44:05 -0400, Gary > wrote:

>Brooklyn1 wrote:
>>
>> http://i49.tinypic.com/2nq9op.jpg
>> All yoose who complain about delicious apples are buying storage crop,
>> and they were picked early so they would keep longer... those would be
>> mealy and flavorless. Those in plastic bags at sale price are
>> especially awful.
>
>Thank you, Sheldon. I prefer the Red Delicious apples for all things.
>
>You are correct though...the 3 lb bags of them or whatever are always mushy
>and not worth bothering with. I think the ppl here that talk crap about
>them are just cheap and buy those nasty sale bags.

'Zactly... then those cheapo *******s enjoy their bitch n' moan trip.
>
>I hand-pick the fresh, firm, larger Red Delicious apples at the store and
>I've never been disappointed. I pay a bit more for those but the price is
>worth it.

Why buy at all if you don't like somthing. During apple season here
the markets sell fresh picked in peck and half peck bags with the
growers name on it, weighed at check-out... last week I paid $1.50/lb.
Sometimes I buy those but I prefer the few mile ride to buy right at
the farm. Apples cost about half price at the farm and I usually buy
a bushel of damaged apples for cheap (~$6) to feed the deer. They're
really not very damaged, they'd be fine for cooking. In this cool
weather I leave the bushel basket on my deck, so far the deer haven't
gotten up on my deck.

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.