North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Jim Fruth" <jfruth@tds.net>]

   Ed Fackler and a friend of mine both said that the time to pick pears is 
when the fruit gives a bit at the stem end when pressed with a finger.  So I 
went out and tried it and wondered how hard I had to push.  So I kept 
digging and found someone who said that I should watch for a color change 
from green to yellow green but I was too late for that.  Then another said 
that pears are ready to pick when the stem snaps apart when you push up and 
twist.  All of my pears snapped off when I barely pushed up on them and some 
had been tree ripened to yellow already.  So, now with a tree ripened pear 
in my hand pressing on the stem end I'm still wondering how hard I'd have 
had to press to make a dent in the hard fruit.

Jim Fruth
Brambleberry Farm
Pequot Lakes, MN  56472
For jams, jellies & syrups:
www.bberryfarm.com
(877)265-6856 [Store]
(218)831-7018 [My Cell]