Fall is coming!! I promise. It will be here – and before we know it.
(But there’s a LOT to harvest RIGHT now)
Up at the farm – the pears are the stars this week. We still have berries and flowers – but we are giving you the sneak peak to Fall with pears and Gravenstein apples.
Did you know that pears are one of the few fruits that ripen OFF the tree. Seriously. You need to pick it UNRIPE and allow it to ripen off the tree.
IF you leave the pear on the tree to ripen, it does so incorrectly and will ripen from the middle outward – leaving a mushy, overripe center with varying degrees of mush throughout.
There is a “sweet spot” to pick a pear – and now is the time. They will come off the tree when you lift up slightly on the pear and do a slight twist. Only a 1/4 of a turn. If it does not come off with this method, then it is not ready – just move on to the next fruit on the tree.
Now that you have your pears off the tree and at home – how do you get them to ripen? For the most consistent (and best result) – place your pears in the refrigerator or a cool place in the house (optimum temperature being 40F). But, if you don’t have room in your refrigerator, do not dismay! You can leave them on your counter top and they will do just fine (just keep them out of direct sunlight). This may differ from the way you store your pears from the grocery store, because the pears from the grocery store have already been placed in cold storage from the grower and distributor.
Gravenstein apples in the Colonial Orchard are ready for this Labor Day weekend. They are a Heritage apple and have a complex taste of tart with sweetness factoring in. If you are more accustomed to a “sweet” Gravenstein from back East – these are more tart because of our climate.
Strawberries are ready for picking. The heat has made them smaller than our cooler temperature strawberries – but the sweetness is still there. Even the newest patch has wee strawberries on them – so give those babies a try!
Blackberries are plentiful – but remember to only pick the blackest ones. The red ones DO look tempting – but they are definitely not ripe. As a reminder – these are heritage blackberries – so they are more complex than the “store bought” blackberries. Excellent in recipes.
Raspberries continue to be strong and outrageously yummy.
Mulberries are also plentiful – make sure to only pick the darkest ones.
The Zinnia’s are out of this world. Grab a bouquet for your neighbors and friends as well. The multitude of colors and sizes are fantastic.
Our pumpkin fields are growing and loving the heat. Pretty soon there will be no evidence of the ground below – just huge beautiful vines with flowers and budding pumpkins.
Our peaches are still just a little ways off, so stay tuned!
This weekend is a 3 day weekend – so take advantage of the extra day. (We’re open Saturday and Monday of Labor Day weekend, and closed on Sunday)
Up at the farm – the pears are the stars this week. We still have berries and flowers – but we are giving you the sneak peak to Fall with pears and Gravenstein apples.
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