Hug This Pear Tree

Pear trees are the best; mainly for the fruit. Pears are my favorite fruit, or at least the fruit I eat the most of. In college I’d eat 3-4 a day, and while I have scaled that back, I still love them and usually eat one a day.

Why pears rock…

There are enough pear varieties to please everyone; green pears, yellow pears, red pears, blushing pears and more. According to Pear Bureau Northwest, there are about 3,000 known pear varieties grown around the world. My favorites are Concorde pears which are best during the fall and winter. Concorde pears have this faint flowery taste that’s amazing. See more pear varieties.
Pears are healthy! Fiber, vitamin C and more make pears a healthy snack, plus they’re filling. If you’re watching your weight, just one pear is far more filling than many other fruits (and foods in general).
Pears are hyper portable. I like apples, berries, and other fruits, but a major fruit problem is that most fruit, if cut to make it bite size will brown within hours. It drives me nuts. I mean you can cut an apple up and take it with you, but it won’t stay as fresh and non-brown as a cut pear.
Pears are casual and elegant. You can eat pears right off the tree or make pear treats that border on extravagant. See pear recipes below.
Organic pears are getting easier and easier to find. In the Northwest especially, where I live, organic pears are cultivated in increasing numbers. If you can’t find USDA organic pears at your grocery store, your next best bet it to find a local grower who uses the least evasive pest control methods and other sustainable growing practices.

Pear tree know-how:

Established pear trees are easy to maintain. My grandma had a couple that she basically never messed with and annually we’d have mountains of pears. Pear trees have fewer problems with pests than other fruit trees; perfect for organic growers. Pear trees are beautiful when in bloom too, although not everyone thinks so due to the blooms (they can carpet your yard). I think pear trees look lovely though – very old fashioned.

I also like that the leaves are so thick and hearty – my grandma and I used to make cool things with the leaves which don’t tear easily. So long as you have a spot with full sun and semi decent soil you can plant a thriving pear tree. To learn more visit the following links…

Pears and how to grow them.
Tips for growing pear trees.
Growing organic pears – a primer on all organic fruit trees, not just pears, but helpful all the same.
Ty Ty Nursery – eduction on growing pear trees and trees to purchase.
Organic heirloom fruit trees for sale at Trees of Antiquity, including pears. The site loads painfully slow for some reason, but it’s still well worth a visit.
Bay Laurel Nursery – many pear tree varieties to choose from.

Pear recipes: