Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Bumper Crop of Pears Ripe

   We have a bumper crop of pears this year.  Our workers and I harvested many 'Luscious' European pears over Labor Day weekend, and I've harvested many 'Blake's Pride' pears and some 'Shinko' Asian pears, and we have these for sale.  I give taste samples.
'Luscious' European pears (left box) soften and are great for fresh eating or baking.  'Shinko' Asian pears (right box) stay firm and crunchy, are very sweet and juicy for fresh eating.
    European pears keep in the fridge for 6 to 8 weeks.  Take a few European pears out each day, and let them sit on the counter for 2 to 3 days until they turn yellow and as soft as you want them to eat or bake with.  A great pear tart recipe is posted on our Facebook page, Brendas Berries, as a Note.  Asian pears stay firm and crunchy, are very sweet and juicy, and keep well in the fridge for 3 to 4 months.
Our workers Tim Epler (left) and Luke Laws (right) and I harvested many 'Luscious' European pears over Labor Day weekend.
    I'm also harvesting several early apple varieties, but we only have a few trees of apple varieties that fruit this early.  Our main apple harvest season, and pick-your-own apple season, runs from about Sept. 24 to about Nov. 12 or 15.
    Small amounts of harvested pears and apples cost $1.20 per pound + tax.  A 20-lb. box of pears or apples costs $23.15 + tax, which saves $1.00 off the per-pound price.  I harvest pears and apples into two plastic bags per box, so you can get a mixed box of one bag of pears and one bag of apples and still get the 20-lb. discount.
    Peach harvest is now over, and we are sold out of peaches for the year.   
    Small amounts of everbearing red raspberries and yellow raspberries are ripening now until early Oct.  If you want to pick raspberries, phone 620-597-2450 a day or two ahead, and let me know when you're coming and I'll save them for you.  Otherwise I pick the raspberries for my own use and for Bill to make jam for sale, as raspberries need to be picked at least every other day.
  From Sept. 1 to Nov. 30 we're open our fall hours: Mon. to Sat. 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., & Sundays 1 to 6 p.m.  As stated in the last blog post, I'm very busy harvesting pears and early apples all around the farm, and often can't see the driveway from the orchards.  While harvesting, I put up a sign on the sales building, saying to ring the bell.  I hear that and come to the sales building.