North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Doreen Howard" <gardendiva@charter.net>]

It's taken me 25 plus years to finally grow an apple.  The first 21 years 
were spent on the Gulf Coast of Texas where decent apples don't grow due to 
the heat.  After I moved to the Midwest in 1998,  I immediately planted 
dwarf apple trees and said goodbye to them within a year when we sold two 
homes in IL and WI in order to make moves elsewhere furthering my husband's 
career.  I've been on a glacier moraine on the Wisconsin-Illinois border 
since Aug. 2003 and finally have an apple tree with fruit, thanks to Ed 
Fackler's recommendation to include Pixie Crunch in my mini-orchard.

All this brings me to my question.  How do you tell when to pick an apple? 
I don't have a clue.

BTW, the apples that set on the Pixie Crunch were thinned to three, due to 
the young age of the tree.  Squirrels got one when it was dime-sized, and 
before I decided to bag the two remaining ones, plum curlico got another.  I 
have ONE perfect bagged apple.  We plan to have an apple tasting event--hard 
cider, gourmet dinner and thin slices of the esteemed apple, along with 
music, pomp and circumstance for at least eight guest.  This is a huge event 
in my gardening life, and I plan to celebrate!  Now I need to know when to 
schedule this party.
Doreen Howard