On the farm, people always wonder how we know when its time to pick our apples.
We usually like to wait until after the first frost of the season. Your apples will begin to start falling from the tree when they are ready to be picked. When your apples are ripe, they should be fairly easy to pick from the tree with a simple upward twist of the apple. Try to avoid picking an apple by pulling the fruit straight down and tugging. If you have to pull very hard to get them off, they are not ready and you should wait a few days. Another trick is to make sure you don't drop them a far distance from when you pick them into your bucket. You should just set them gently into your bucket to avoid bruising. Peggy's favorite way to pick apples is to wear a backpack on your chest and place the apples inside as you pick.
Hope you all have a wonderful harvest season!