Orchard – The Pear Dish

Inside the Orchards: Blossoms 2012

Lynsey — Wed, 09 May 2012 18:31:36 +0000

I always enjoy a trip to the growing regions to visit the USA Pear orchards. I love seeing how the trees change over the course of the year, and the differences in each season from the year before. During harvest, the trees are heavy with fruit, and autumn is a beautiful season here in the Pacific Northwest – temperatures start to cool after the heat of summer, and skies are clear. Spring time, however, can be very hit-or-miss. So when a sunny day comes around, we must take advantage of it! Unlike this time last year, these gorgeous blossoms were in full bloom. So while we are still enjoying Green Anjou, Red Anjou, and Bosc, it’s hard to believe that in a few short months, these trees will be full of next season’s crop!

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A Simple Pear Crisp

Lynsey — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 16:28:14 +0000

Last week I made a trip to Hood River, in the heart of one of USA Pears’ four growing regions, for the Hood River County Fruit Loop Pear Celebration. Although it was overcast, which prevented the spectacular views that you’ll see on a clear day, the orchards were loaded with the new season crop of USA Pears in every variety. Harvest is a few weeks late this year, but lucky for me, I was still able to pick up fresh Bartlett and Starkrimson pears at the many fruit stands on the loop. With my bounty, I decided to make a pear crisp, one of my favorite ways to kick off autumn. I combined several different recipes to come up with a crisp that’s just how I like it – feel free to experiment and make your own adjustments! A Simple Continue reading →

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Harvest is Around the Corner!

Brittany — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 21:45:55 +0000

Aren’t these teeny Red Anjou pears adorable? A new season of USA Pears is on its way! I took some guests to visit our pear shippers and growers in Hood River this week, where the sun is shining and harvest is just weeks away. Check out these photos for a look at what you’ll find in your local store in just a few weeks!

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Spring is Slowly on its Way!

Lynsey — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:17:23 +0000

On one of the few sunny days we’ve had here in Oregon since about, October, I made the drive up the beautiful Columbia River Gorge for Hood River’s annual Blossom Festival. It’s always fun to visit one of our USA Pear growing regions – in addition to the beautiful pear orchards that are near-and-dear to my heart, the scenery, mountains, and rivers in each region are absolutely gorgeous! Unfortunately, Mother Nature’s timing didn’t quite match up with that of the festival, but with a closer look, you’ll see that the buds are just beginning to bloom. And while I’m content to enjoy spring and summer, I can’t help but also be anxious for the clear autumn days of harvest! Here’s a bonus photo to give you a better idea of what I mean when I say that USA Pear country is scenic: the majestic Continue reading →

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Partridge in a Pear Tree

Brittany — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 19:07:07 +0000

We’ve all been humming along to a familiar Christmas song for weeks now. You know it: “five goooolden rings!” Here at the Pear Bureau, we even commemorate the holiday season with our Partridge in a Pear Tree ornament (see above). But what is that reference all about, anyway? I’ve seen people in pear trees and even bears in pear trees, but never, ever a partridge, so I decided to investigate this mysterious Christmas lyric. Here’s what I found: Nothing is clear about this song. It is English and/or French in origin. It may be a memory game, a catechism lesson, or maybe it was supposed to be all about birds. Let me break it down for you: It was first known as a song – an English carol, most likely – that was played as a memory game. As players Continue reading →

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Growing Regions: Medford

Brittany — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 00:28:55 +0000

With the holiday season quickly approaching, it’s time to take a look at the fourth of our growing regions, which is well known for producing the world’s favorite Christmas pear – the Comice. Welcome to Medford, Oregon! Medford is home to Harry and David headquarters, the company that sells the gift basket favorite, in addition to lots of up-and-coming Oregon wineries. The small Southern Oregon city is also in the neighborhood of Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the United States! Visit the Medford area for stunning natural views, award-winning golf courses, and wet and wild adventure on the Rogue River. Click here to learn more!

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Hood River Harvest Ride

Brittany — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 23:14:17 +0000

I’ll be at the Hood River Fairgrounds bright (cross your fingers) and early on Saturday morning for the second annual Harvest Ride. I won’t be on a bike, but you should be! The Harvest Ride offers five different riding paths through the beautiful countryside surrounding Hood River. While on your ride, you can take a break at one of the many farm stands and purchase a healthy natural snack. If your eyes are bigger than your appetite, you can leave your purchased pears or apples behind and the HRHR crew will bring them back to the fairgrounds for you! Join hundreds of other bike enthusiasts for food, a great ride, and a celebration of the Columbia Valley’s bounty. Registration includes a finish-line lunch. Space is going quickly, so sign up now! Check out the site for more info: www.hrharvestride.com. If Continue reading →

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The New Season is Here!

Lynsey — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 23:16:09 +0000

While everyone here at our office and our reps around the world are busy, busy planning for the new USA Pears season, harvest has finally begun! Bartletts and Starkrimsons will kick things off – look for them to start popping up in your local grocery stores soon! I’m getting ready for a tour of the growing regions a bit later in the fall with groups from India and Russia. The most popular variety around the world is the Green Anjou. Many countries aren’t familiar with the lesser-known (but equally delicious in their own way) varieties. It’s a lot of fun to take visitors to the orchards so they can see all the different shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors of USA Pears! If you haven’t already sampled all of the varieties of USA Pears, add it to your list of things to Continue reading →

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Growing Regions: Yakima

Brittany — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:24:06 +0000

We’re still waiting—very, very patiently—for this season’s fresh pear harvest to start. USA Pears should be popping up on supermarket shelves in the next few weeks, and I can’t wait to sink my teeth into a juicy, sweet Bartlett! In the meantime, let’s take a look at another of our fertile growing regions: Yakima. Like many of our growing regions, the Yakima Valley is known for its rich soil, mild climate, and open spaces, which combine to make the valley a perfect location to grow beautiful USA Pears, along with asparagus, cherries, apples, pumpkins, and dozens of other delicious fruits and vegetables. Oh, and let’s not forget the wine! Yakima is home to many local, award-winning wineries. The valley lies in the same latitude as France’s famous vineyards, making for the perfect birthplace of great wine varietals. It’s a great Continue reading →

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Celebrating Pear Blossoms!

Lynsey — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 16:00:57 +0000

Spring is here. If you couldn’t tell by the calendar or the weather (in my neck of the woods, we’re experiencing more than our fair share of April showers), Mother Nature is proving it with the blossoms that are popping up in front yards, gardens, and, of course, orchards! This weekend I had the pleasure of taking a quick day trip to Hood River, Oregon (part of our Mid-Colombia growing region) for the annual Blossom Festival. Although the skies were partly cloudy, temperatures were warm, and the small white blossoms made their debut in the orchards that will be full of our favorite fruit in just a few months. Similar events are taking place throughout the Pacific Northwest, home to the growing regions of USA Pears. Medford, Oregon hosted its Pear Blossom Run on April 10, and Leavenworth, Washington (in Continue reading →

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