The Apple Bath
This is the time of the year that the County has to do a idodine bath with the Granny Smith Apples to see if they are ready; the County releases them when the starch content is at 2.5 or better. Chris (the new biologist on the team) and Patty work on this project together. They went out to the field and took random sampling from different areas. The apples are not ready yet as you can tell they need more white to be ready. The the center of the fruit should be white and the pattern in the center of the apple should resemble a white pansy similar to the one Patty is pointing at.
Here is Patty showing off her starch chart.
Last year the records showed that the apples at the same time were at 3.5. One other interesting fact is that at 2.5 or higher the apples will continue to ripen when they are picked but if you pick them before that they will not.