Pear Harvest has Begun

   Pear harvest began this morning, Aug. 14, and will continue for the next 10 weeks or so.  Today I started picking 'Sunrise' pears, our earliest-ripening European pear variety.  'Sunrise' produces very large pears, about a half pound each on average, with some pears weighing over a pound each.  'Sunrise' pears have a smooth texture and sweet flavor, and are great for canning and cooking as well as fresh eating.

This morning I picked these 2 boxes of 'Sunrise' pears, each box weighed to 20 pounds, and will harvest more of this variety for the next week.

   This evening I'll start picking 'Harrow Crisp' pears.  This newer European pear can be eaten while still crisp, or allowed to sit on the counter for a few days to soften as with other European pear varieties.  We just planted these 'Harrow Crisp' pear trees 4 years ago, so this is their first fruiting year in our pear orchard.  Our other pear varieties, 'Shinko' Asian pears and 'Blake's Pride', 'Harrow Sweet' and 'Shenandoah' European pears, ripen in succession during Sept. and Oct.

   We harvest all tree-ripe pears each morning and evening, and keep them in our cooler, which keeps pears in top condition for 2 to 3 months.  Harvested pears sell for $1.48 per pound + sales tax for #1 fruit with no damage.  We also pick some nice #2 fruit, with some surface scarring but no internal damage, that sells for just $1.18 per pound + sales tax.

I've picked or will pick most of these 'Sunrise' pears from a ladder, so we do NOT offer pick-your-own pears.

   We do not allow customers to harvest pears, as they're tricky to pick at the right stage, and we harvest many pears from ladders, which we don't ever allow customers to use.  I also harvest all selections from my apple breeding program, and will start having some apple varieties for sale in late Aug. and early Sept.  I give taste samples of all fruits and pecans available when customers come, for those interested in buying them.

   Our pick-your-own apple season, and main apple season, goes from mid-late Sept. until early Nov., as shown at left under Crop Sales Seasons.  That also tells which crops we sell harvested, and which crops we sell pick-your-own.

   We still have many cracked pecans for sale now until late Sept., and many people have bought some lately.  Pecan harvest doesn't start until early Nov., and we start selling our new pecan crop in mid-Nov. Each year, many people come during our main apple season in Oct. and early Nov. and want pecans, but we don't have pecans for sale then.  If you'll want pecans before about Nov. 12, come get some in Aug. or Sept.  Pecans keep in top condition in your freezer for at least 6 years.

We sell cracked pecans in 4-pound bags, which contain over 3 pounds of nutmeats. The plastic box shows what's inside the bags: over 75% pecan kernels and under 25% shell fragments. 

   We sell cracked pecans in 4-pound bags, which are over 75% pecan kernels and under 25% shell fragments.  Each bag has the equivalent of 6 pounds of in-shell pecans, and when you pick out the kernels, you get 3 pounds or more of nutmeats.  Each bag costs $19.70 + sales tax.

   We're still open our summer hours, as shown in the sidebar at left, until Aug. 31, but now that our thornless blackberry season has ended, I'm very busy picking pears in the early morning, so don't arrive here before about 9 a.m.  If I'm not in the sales building when you arrive, ring the bell VERY loudly so I can hear it.  (If I am in the sales building, please do NOT ring the bell.  Thanks.)

   Our fall open hours, shown in the sidebar at left, run from Sept. 1 to Dec. 15.  Then we're open by appointment from Dec. 16 to June 14. 

   As always, we take cash or checks for payment, but NO credit cards or debit cards, and no phone "apps".  We don't use a smart phone, and have no phone line to the sales building.  So please bring your checkbook or enough cash to cover the amount of produce you want to buy.  Thanks.