The local berries are picked ripe and shipped to market within hours, and they are flavorful with the concentrated sugar of early summer.

Because they don't sweeten after harvest, strawberries must be picked fully ripe for best flavor.

Pineapples must be picked ripe, since they won't sweeten further but just get mushy.

Mr. Batch said that the fruit would be picked ripe, then sent that same day via two-day shipping to customers.

Watermelons are picked ripe, so variations in flavor have more to do with the type of watermelon than with ripeness.

This means that fruit is picked ripe, since it does not have to survive a long journey.

The grapes are usually picked ripe, as they do not ripen after harvest.

Even though it may seem to be getting mild, pick ripe winter squashes before hard frosts so the crop is not damaged.

The best are to be found at roadside stands or farmer's markets, where, with any luck, the apples have been picked ripe.

But this method is not effective for citrus fruit, grapes or berries, which are picked ripe.