"Gypsy gold does not chink and glitter. It gleams in the sun and neighs in the dark."

~ Saying of the Gladdagh Gypsies of Galway


Sunday, July 10, 2011

The Pears are Coming...


It's hard to believe, but at the end of this month, we *fingers crossed* will have some harvesting to do in the orchard! The picture below is of our Red Bartlett Pears; the are usually ready by mid-August...sometimes sooner. We really have to be on top of them because if you let them go past their prime, you've lost! They don't last long and they are oh so good!


These next two photos are of our Yellow Transparent Apples. They will be ready in another 2 weeks or so! Again, like the Red Bartlett Pears, you have to harvest them at the exact right time. They are a very soft apple, best for sauce, and they don't store well. It is best they are used up shortly after being picked.

The first year on our property, we didn't know this about this variety Apple and both my mom and I let some sit out on our kitchen counters...only to see them explode, literally, after a few days!



And now that hubby has his 4-wheeler going again, I can cruise through the orchard rather than walk it, which, when it is mosquito season, is a good thing!


7 comments:

Debi said...

Those Barlett Pears are gorgeous and so are the apples. I have read about the window of opportunity of harvesting in orchards. I know you don't want to miss a single piece of fruit. The view of your orchard is so lush and pretty. I think I would drag a chair out there and just sit in the early morning with a cup of coffee. Debi

Jill said...

Those pears look so good! I've never heard of the transparent apple before...very interesting. Your orchard is beautiful.

kitsapFG said...

Oh you lucky dog having an established orchard! Especially with pears (one of my favorite tree fruits).

Alicia@ eco friendly homemaking said...

Oh I love pears and yous look so awesome!! Our neighbors have an older pear tree that produces lots of pears each year and they don't use many so they tell us to get all that we want! I make pear jam, pear butter and then freeze the rest to make more in the Winter months.

Vanessa said...

Exciting! The pears look gorgeous. I have never heard of transparent apples.

meemsnyc said...

ooooh, I love fresh pears! yum. Hope you'll make pear jam too!

Rachel said...

Your property looks like so much fun!! It is a dream of mine to one day own so much land. :)