Still Many 'Harrowsweet' Pears & 'Shinko' Asian Pears

   Our cooler is still full of over 900 pounds of 'Harrowsweet' European pears and over 900 pounds of 'Shinko' Asian pears, plus about 100 pounds of early apples.  Over the last few days, over 800 pounds of pears and Asian pears sold, but we picked another 1100 pounds, and I'm still harvesting more.
   If you haven't gotten any pears or Asian pears yet, come try some. I give taste samples, and many customers say they didn't like pears until they tried ours.

We still have many 'Harrowsweet' European pears (left box) and 'Shinko' Asian pears (right box) for sale now and for the next 5 to 6 weeks or so.

   European pears are pear-shaped and get soft. They need to be harvested at the light green stage, and they'll keep well in a refrigerator up to 6 weeks at that stage.  Take some out 2 or 3 days before you want to eat them or cook with them, and let them sit on the counter at room temperature until they turn bright yellow and get as soft as you want them.  'Harrowsweet' European pears are very sweet, with a rich flavor.
   Asian pears are shaped like apples, stay crisp like apples, and are very juicy and sweet.  They're mostly for fresh eating, and also good in Asian stir-fry dishes.  We grow 'Shinko' Asian pears, with a russeted skin that turns bright orange when ripe.  They keep well in a refrigerator for 4 months or more.
   We also have a small amount of a few early apple varieties, and some selections from my apple breeding program, which I harvest and have for sale.  Our pick-your-own apple season will start about Sept. 24 and run until about Nov. 12.  That's also our main apple season, when we'll have many harvested apples for sale.
   Small amounts of harvested apples, pears or Asian pears all cost $1.30 per pound + tax.  We pick directly into 20-lb. boxes, which I then weigh to exactly 20.0 lbs., so you save $1.00 if you buy a 20-lb. box of apples, pears or Asian pears for $25.00 + tax.  We harvest apples and pears into 2 bags per box, so you can get a 10-lb. bag of pears and a 10-lb. bag of Asian pears or apples, and still get the 20-lb. discount.  Our 2nds apples and pears, with rain cracks, limb rubs or other surface damage, sell for $0.93 per pound + tax.
   For payment, we accept cash or checks; NO debit cards or credit cards.  Please bring your checkbook or enough cash to cover what you'll buy.  Thanks.
    Our fall hours, shown in the sidebar at left, run from Sept. 1 to Nov. 30.  During this time, we're open 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mon. to Sat., and 1 to 5:30 p.m. on Sundays.
   I'm usually out harvesting pears or apples each morning, until customers start arriving here.  I put a sign on the sales building above our bell, that says "I'm working in the orchard. Ring bell for service."  Ring it loudly, just once or twice, and I'll hear it and drive our utility vehicle up to the sales building.