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BY DON MEEHAN
WHEN TO PICK PEARS
Each year our office receives a number of calls about picking pears. Most people know that pears need to be picked green. This makes it a bit difficult since the pears are green for a long period of time.
Commercial growers determine the best time from pressure testing the fruit. This is done by measuring the difficulty in breaking through the skin. Obviously, most people will not have the device needed to make those kinds of measurements. There is hope and instruments are not needed.
Some research done at the WSU Mount Vernon Research and Extension Center by Dr. Norton and his associates, Jackie King and Gary Moulton, has provided us with a relatively easy approach to this problem. They have determined within a week or two when various pear varieties are normally ready for harvest. Here is the list, and it should be used in conjunction with the other clues to ripening which follow.
Variety Normal Harvest Date
Clapp Favorite Sept. 1
Bennett Sept. 3
Bartlett Sept. 5
Aurora Sept. 9
Rescue Sept. 10
Orcas Sept. 15
Sirrine Sept. 12
Flemish Beauty Sept. 26
Seckel Oct. 9
Comice Oct. 9
Highland Oct. 12
Anjou Oct. 15
Bosc Oct. 15
El Dorado Oct. 21
With these potential harvest dates you can now begin evaluating your fruit based on several other factors. First, you will want to begin doing the "Lift Test" prior to the date of "Normal Harvest". This is done by putting your index finger on the stem of the fruit, lift the pear from the normal vertical position to a horizontal or flat position, perhaps with a slight twist. If the fruit "snaps" off cleanly between the stem and twig, all the fruit is ready to be taken from the tree. If you have to struggle to remove it then it is not ready. This is especially true if you have broken the twig.
Large trees will have fruit ripen sooner near the top since the fruit has typically had more sun. Those shaded areas of the tree will generally ripen last.
Certain varieties which come on late, such as the Anjou, Bosc and Comice pears, may need some additional chilling to promote good ripening. Anjous are particularly needy of this treatment. Typically, they need about a month of cool temperatures in the 32 to 45 degree F. range.
The Asian pears are ripened on the tree and taste testing is the best way to insure they are ready to be picked. Left to ripen on the tree to long may produce a "winey" tasting pear.
ROADSIDE DANGERS !!!!!!! BEWARE
Recently I happened to be passing by several horseback riders using the roadside. Two adults were riding with young children, some of them doubled up on one horse. Whenever I see this kind of situation, I always have to think back on the days I worked with a veterinarian. We had a call from a horse owner who had been riding along a busy road when her horse became frightened and jumped into oncoming traffic. Now, her horse had been used to riding along the road but something happened that day to scare it. The horse was severely injured and the rider in this case was lucky.
So back to the other day when I saw these horseback riders. I approached them slowly, knowing that horses like to know what the noise is behind them, and I waited for the rider to let the horse have a glance. Eventually she did, and I knew it was fairly safe to pass by them, although I did it cautiously and slowly.
Unfortunately, I do not see other drivers always showing this much concern. They go zipping by, barely giving any room for safety's sake. This is particularly hazardous with the new and quiet cars we have today. Horses hardly have a chance to hear them coming before they are next to the horse, which then comes as a surprise. The Potential for serious accidents can be reduced by slowing down, and giving wide berth to horses along the roadside.
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