Please release me...

The tree experts call it 'releasing' when you try to reclaim old, overgrown apple trees. We have at least a dozen old, fruit bearing apple trees that we are starting to release. I've pruned out old wood, overlapping branches and other tree growth that is interferring with the apple tree getting adequate light. It will take several years to get them back, doing a little bit more each year. We don't want to shock them by doing it all at once!