To pick or not to pick that is the question!

I have a few ancient apple trees which are groaning with apples.It is the biggest crop we have had since moving here 17 years ago. They are not quite ready as I was told you should wait for the pips to go brown before picking. We have had a fair few windfalls already so know the pips are still white but certainly the small eaters were still delicious despite not being totally ripe. The big cookers (not Bramleys, no idea of the variety are a bit of a way off being ripe)
We are due 50+ mph winds tomorrow which will cause havoc with my trees I expect. Would I be best to pick the apples today despite not being ripe as I could foresee the majority ending up the ground if (large if!) the forecasters are correct or leave them in the hope they don't get blow down and can fully ripen?

 

Think I'd be inclined to pick some of them and leave others to take their chance.
They should keep and ripen off the tree to some extent.

 

I think @pete is right given the prospect of strong winds forecast but I don’t think they will keep long. You don’t say whether they are a keeping variety or not. For me I would pick half and leave the rest.

 

I'd pick the lot before Scrunge finds them

Found a tree he doesn't know about yesterday

 

The classic test is to hold an apple, cup it in palm of hand, slightly twist it and, if ready, will easily part from the tree.
Did this in a garden a few days ago and the apples were certainly ready.....of course I had to apply the taste test; twice to make doubly sure :glad:

 

Many thanks for the advice. Sounds like a good plan. I haven't the faintest what varieties they are and reckon they could well have been planted in Victorian times! The area I live in used to be a big apple growing area and I believe has varieties specific to the area. My eaters are really very very tasty and sweet. They are not big tho, smaller than say a Golden Delicious or Granny Smith . With the amazing summer they have gone redder than normal. The south facing apples are almost completely red. They don't normally crop that heavily but have this year. With a normal small crop they have been eaten quickly so don't know if they keep or not. The cookers always crop very heavily. They do keep for about 3 months out in the stables. Knowing sweet fa about the subject of apples I don't know if keeping for 3 months is good or not.
Will do as suggested and off out to pick the majority today. Sounds the best idea. As for Scrungee @Zigs, if he could see the amount of apples we have he'd be high tailing it up here, so best get picking quick! reckon we have maybe 100 lbs, much sauce and chutney will be being made and probably the horse will be getting very fat!

 

Is that the one near Burton Bradstock?

 

Easy way to turn them into purée for freezing is to peel and core and put in a slow cooker, no water, for 2 hours. They go to mush which can then be frozen for future use. Our problem is that I am still eating last years purée.

 

I live in Kent now

 

Just in from the mammoth pick. OMG I knew there was a good crop but this is ridiculous. No idea what on earth I am going to do with them all and that's despite my 4 legged getting loads for months to come . 3 of us worked flat out and picked 14 full builders barrow loads. There are more but difficult to get without risking life and limb.

Any ideas how with zero specialist equipment @Loofah . Thanks for the tip @Palustris but unfortunately I don't have a slow cooker. Might see of my neighbour does. I'd be happy to give quantities away I'll ring round some local folk and see if they can relieve me of some/a lot!

 

OHHHHH No.