8 Simple Apple Picking Tips

September 28, 2016

It’s that time of year again where the apple supply has become ample and people have headed out to the orchards again. People don’t always know what to look for when looking for the prime apple to pick for themselves.

Quick Apple Picking Tips to Help Guide Your Trip to the Orchard:

To tell if an apple is ripe, make sure that it feels firm and does not have any bruises. Don’t focus on just the color of the apple. How firm the apple feels shows how ripe the apple is.
Apple trees ripen from the outside in, so you will find the ripest apples on the outer branches of the tree.
Apples on the southern side of the tree will ripen faster than other sides because of the sunlight exposure.
Do not just pull the apple straight away from the tree to pick the apple. Rotate the apple towards the tree to pick the apple properly.
When picking an apple, try to leave the stem on the apple. This can help the apple store for a longer period of time
Do not wash apples until you plan on using them. This will help prevent the apples from spoiling at a faster rate.
To further increase an apple’s shelf life, store the apples in a cool place such as a refrigerator or basement.
To ensure that you will be picking ripe apples check out this crop calendar, to make sure that the dates you want to visit the apple orchards near you are the right ones.

After picking all of those apples it’s a great time to try out new apple recipes! Domestic Superhero’s apple and Gouda grilled cheese is excellent for creating a sweet and savory flavor from the apples and Gouda.

Gouda is also the perfect cheese to create a gooey grilled cheese with and compliments the fresh apple slices very well. Another delectable apple recipe is Country Living’s apple french toast.

This is a delicious dish to wake up to on a cold fall morning. The warm apples mixed with cinnamon and nutmeg make for a great medley of autumn flavors.

Furthermore, you can even add a dash of Nutella on top to make this dish into a dessert!

After picking apples all day, these recipes are a great way to wind up your evening and enjoy all of the efforts you spent picking nature’s delight.