Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Many 'Luscious' Pears & 'Jonafree' Apples Harvested

   We've now finished harvesting the 'Luscious' European pears, and have about 620 pounds of them in our cooler, so we'll have them for sale for the next few weeks.  This variety, from South Dakota, is more cold-hardy then our other European pear varieties and we have a good crop of it.  'Blake's Pride', usually our next-ripening European pear, has no crop this year.  Our latest-ripening European pear, 'Harrowsweet', will have a very small crop in late Sept. to early Oct.  I've also harvested a few 'Shinko' Asian pears, and will harvest more of these until late Sept. or early Oct.
We now have many harvested 'Jonafree' apples (left), 'Luscious' European pears (center), and some of my apple crosses (right) for sale.
   Harvested pears are the same price as harvested apples.  Prices are the same as last year: $1.21 per pound + tax for harvested #1 apples or pears (practically perfect) and $0.83 per pound + tax for harvested #2 apples or pears (with small cracks or other damage).  20 lbs. of harvested #1 apples and/or pears cost $23.22 + tax, which saves $1.00.

   I've almost finished harvesting the 'Jonafree' apples, and have about 200 pounds of them in our cooler.  'Jonafree' is tart-sweet with a flavor similar to 'Jonathan', but earlier and immune to apple scab disease.  'Gala' is now sold out, but I'm starting to harvest other apple varieties and my crosses.  I give taste samples of all of these.
   The main apple harvest season, and pick-your-own apple season, will start in late Sept. when many 'Enterprise' apples are ripe, and go until mid-late Nov.  We do have one 'Enterprise' tree which has apples that are ripening now, so if readers of this blog want to come pick your own apples this Thurs. Sept. 11 to Sat. Sept. 13, phone 620-597-2450 and leave a message letting me know when you're coming.  Scroll down 2 posts for pick-your-own apple prices.
We have one 'Enterprise' tree (right) which has apples that are ripening now, while most 'Enterprise' trees (left) are still a couple weeks away form the start of the pick-your-own apple season.
   We still have some cracked 'Pawnee' pecans for sale, for $14.86 + tax per 5-lb. bag.  'Pawnee' is a very large pecan variety with great taste.  Lots of great recipes using apples and pecans are posted as Notes on the Brenda's Berries page on Facebook.
   We're now open our fall hours: Mondays to Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and 1 to 6 p.m. on Sundays, until Nov. 30.  I appreciate phone messages letting me know when you're coming.  If you drop by and I don't see you come in, since I'm out harvesting apples or Asian pears, ring the bell on the sales building.
I can't always see or hear the driveway when I'm out harvesting Asian pears (photo) or apples, so phone ahead and leave a message letting me know when you're coming, or ring the bell on the sales building.