Asian Pears Ripening

    Asian pears have started ripening, 2 weeks earlier than most years, and I began harvesting some this morning.  We'll have limited amounts of them for sale for the next couple weeks, then more in Sept. and Oct.  If you want to get Asian pears in August, phone 620-597-2450 a day or two ahead to let me know when you're coming.

   We grow 'Shinko' Asian pears, a russet-skinned variety that has the most resistance to fire blight (a disease that kills pear trees) of any Asian pear variety.  'Shinko' Asian pears are deliciously sweet, very crunchy and very juicy, and keep 6 months in the fridge.  They're great for fresh eating, salads and stir-fry dishes.

 I just harvested these 'Shinko' Asian pears  this morning.

   'Blake's Pride' pears will start ripening next week, but our 'Blake's Pride' European pear crop was greatly reduced this year by the late March freeze, so we'll have limited amounts of them for sale.  We should harvest good amounts of two other European pear varieties, 'Harrow Sweet' and 'Shenandoah', from early Sept. until mid-Oct.

   I harvest all pears and Asian pears.  We do NOT allow customers to pick pears or Asian pears. 

    We still have many harvested #1 and #2 'Gold Rush' apples for sale, and many #2 'Enterprise' apples.  However, many people have bought apples lately, and it takes time for me to sort and pack more, so call 620-597-2450 a day ahead to order them if you'll want more than a few pounds.  Once we sell out of 'Gold Rush' apples, we won't have any more until the new 'Gold Rush' apple crop starts in early Nov., and the new crop isn't good to eat until Jan., after a couple months' cold storage causes starches to convert into sugars.

If you want to get a 20-pound box of #1 'Gold Rush' apples like this one, call 620-597-2450 a day ahead to order them.

   Harvested pears, Asian pears and apples all sell for $1.48 per pound + sales tax for #1 fruit with no damage.  I sort and pack apples into bags in boxes that I weigh to 20 pounds, so if you get a 20-pound box of #1 apples you save $1.00.  We also have some nice #2 fruit, with some surface scarring but no internal damage, that sells for just $1.18 per pound + sales tax.

   As of today, we still have 13 bags of harvested, cracked pecans for sale.  My husband Bill cracked and bagged all remaining pecans 3 months ago, and we've stored them in refrigerators.  Once we sell out, we won't have more pecans until the new crop starts in mid-Nov., so get some soon if you'll want them before Nov. 15.  These pecan selections, from Bill's pecan breeding program, have large nuts, thin shells and great taste, and I give taste samples.

   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.

   Our pick-your-own apple season starts in mid-late Sept., as shown under Crop Sales Seasons in the left sidebar, when 'Enterprise' apples start ripening.

   From now until Dec. 15, we're open the hours shown in the left sidebar.  That gives me time to harvest tree fruits before customers start coming each day. 

   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 fruit and/or pecans you want to buy.  Thanks.