The Old Folks Home

[Cynthia12]

Today we started picking pears for preserves only a basket full today but we will likely be canning pears for a month.

Pears?? We have a pear tree, but we still have a good month and a half before they are ripe! Apples too.

 

[chickadoodles]

Quote: The ones we picked are ripe and the others we will pick and let set a week and they will ripen up for canning.

This is what I found on picking pears:

Harvest/Storage
Harvest pears when they are mature but still hard. Ripen the pears at room temperature for the best quality.
To store pears, pick them when they are fully grown but still very hard. You can keep them in the refrigerator; they should last for about 1 week. ...
You can also can the pears for longer storage.
Pears: Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Pears

I know they pick the early and ship them so they ripen up in transport to grocery stores.

 

[vehve]

The ones we picked are ripe and the others we will pick and let set a week and they will ripen up for canning.

This is what I found on picking pears:

Harvest/Storage
Harvest pears when they are mature but still hard. Ripen the pears at room temperature for the best quality.
To store pears, pick them when they are fully grown but still very hard. You can keep them in the refrigerator; they should last for about 1 week. ...
You can also can the pears for longer storage.
Pears: Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Pears

I know they pick the early and ship them so they ripen up in transport to grocery stores.

In my experience fruit tastes better when it's allowed to ripen on the tree. Many fruits that are picked a bit too raw, can be kept next to an apple for them to mature quicker. Ripe fruit should not be kept next to apples, because they will spoil quicker.

*Edit* But with larger crops, it's probably smarter to pick them when they're still a bit hard to avoid over-ripening. And I don't have any fruit trees myself, just fond memories of my grandmothers apple trees. And plans on getting some plum trees with the neighbor.

 

[chickadoodles]

Quote:

Harvest/Storage
Harvest pears when they are mature but still hard. Ripen the pears at room temperature for the best quality.
To store pears, pick them when they are fully grown but still very hard. You can keep them in the refrigerator; they should last for about 1 week. ...
You can also can the pears for longer storage.
Pears: Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Pears

I know they pick the early and ship them so they ripen up in transport to grocery stores.

In my experience fruit tastes better when it's allowed to ripen on the tree. Many fruits that are picked a bit too raw, can be kept next to an apple for them to mature quicker. Ripe fruit should not be kept next to apples, because they will spoil quicker.

*Edit* But with larger crops, it's probably smarter to pick them when they're still a bit hard to avoid over-ripening. And I don't have any fruit trees myself, just fond memories of my grandmothers apple trees. And plans on getting some plum trees with the neighbor.

Here our critters will attack the pears and then we won't hardly get any. Between the birds, squirrels and the bees it is hard to get any not to mention we already had to feed the cows a bushel of ruined pears from critter damage. I would rather pick them early and let them ripen up for a week in my den then can them than let all the critters eat and damage them all.

 

[vehve]

Here our critters will attack the pears and then we won't hardly get any. Between the birds, squirrels and the bees it is hard to get any not to mention we already had to feed the cows a bushel of ruined pears from critter damage. I would rather pick them early and let them ripen up for a week in my den then can them than let all the critters eat and damage them all.

Yeah, that's a good idea too. Better to have slightly raw fruit than no fruit at all

The cows wouldn't mind some more though, I would think? Or the chickens.

 

[Arielle]

Chickadoodles ,you have me looking at my pear tree wonder what I can do to help it a bit. THe lower leaves have fallen off and the top is green . . . .must need some fertilizer and mulch. . suggestions??

Breakfast was a a low carb cheese pizza and a small salad topped with homemade salsa . I use Newmans Cesar dressing for my salsa!! Topped with sea salt. ANd now for my green tea. Life is wonderful!!

Edited to add-- wow15000 posts.

 

[vehve]

Chickadoodles ,you have me looking at my pear tree wonder what I can do to help it a bit. THe lower leaves have fallen off and the top is green . . . .must need some fertilizer and mulch. . suggestions??

Breakfast was a a low carb cheese pizza and a small salad topped with homemade salsa . I use Newmans Cesar dressing for my salsa!! Topped with sea salt. ANd now for my green tea. Life is wonderful!!

Edited to add-- wow15000 posts.

Arielle, you chatter box!

Low carb pizza does not sound that tasty... I bought a pizza stone for the grill today, I think I'll take a shot at making some later in the week, but today we're going to harvest a couple of new potatoes from our tater towers and eat them together with whatever fresh fish the store has to offer.

 

[chickadoodles]

Chickadoodles ,you have me looking at my pear tree wonder what I can do to help it a bit. THe lower leaves have fallen off and the top is green . . . .must need some fertilizer and mulch. . suggestions??

Breakfast was a a low carb cheese pizza and a small salad topped with homemade salsa . I use Newmans Cesar dressing for my salsa!! Topped with sea salt. ANd now for my green tea. Life is wonderful!!

Edited to add-- wow15000 posts.

I would fertilize it.

Sounds like you had a nice breakfast.

Making coffee

 

[ronott1]

@superchemicalgirl

The Production thread and some of the Heritage threads have discussed meat production and dual purpose. German New Hampshire is always at the top of the list.

@LindaB220 said: Catdaddyfro from Lafayette La is 90 min from me and has some fine German NH. Hoping to get eggs eventually.Catdaddyfro from Lafayette La is 90 min from me and has some fine German NH. Hoping to get eggs eventually.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Thank you. I'm looking for good dual purpose - good meat and good layers and hearty through the winters up here.

In addition to the Chantecler chickadoodles suggested, Rocks, New Hampshires and Delawares grow fairly fast. Australorps grow pretty fast, have good meat and are very productive. All are cold hardy and known for meat qualities. Crossing Rocks and Wyandottes gets a nice very cold hardy meat option.
Sometimes slower growth increases flavor. Buckeyes, Brahmas and Dorkings make a nice cold hardy meat bird but are a little less productive (about 150 eggs a year)

What about Chantecler's? They are from Canada.

I was going to make the same suggestion. Then I saw your post.

Everywhere I have ever lived is on that list practically.

You get around.

We have our share in the Philippines. At this time of year its pretty bad. I figure 8 bites whenever I go out to the coops and three just getting from the car to the house.

I buy back woods insect repellent by the case which helps a lot but with a decent breeze, there are very few at the house.

Fortunately, while I get more bites than anyone - mosquitoes love me - they dont bother me after 10-20 minutes. I just need to keep busy during that time.

I'm such a mosquito magnet (ticks and chiggers too) that I swear people invite me to garden parties to keep the mosquitos off of the other guests.

In spite of the wet spring, this has been one of the lightest years for mosquitos. I get bitten a little at dusk but that's it.

In my experience fruit tastes better when it's allowed to ripen on the tree. Many fruits that are picked a bit too raw, can be kept next to an apple for them to mature quicker. Ripe fruit should not be kept next to apples, because they will spoil quicker.

*Edit* But with larger crops, it's probably smarter to pick them when they're still a bit hard to avoid over-ripening. And I don't have any fruit trees myself, just fond memories of my grandmothers apple trees. And plans on getting some plum trees with the neighbor.

Ripening or injured fruit gasses off ethylene which turns off at least 2 genes which inhibit ripening. What follows is a cascade effect that turns on other genes making enzymes like pectin to cause the fruit to soften as the cell walls break down. Other enzymes convert carbs to sugars and degrading chlorophyll changing the color of the fruit.

Putting fruits in various stages of ripeness in a paper bag together speeds up that process.

Here our critters will attack the pears and then we won't hardly get any. Between the birds, squirrels and the bees it is hard to get any not to mention we already had to feed the cows a bushel of ruined pears from critter damage. I would rather pick them early and let them ripen up for a week in my den then can them than let all the critters eat and damage them all.

One year I had a dwarf peach tree that was loaded. I tasted one and it was wonderful. I decided that I would pick them all the next day. When I went out the following morning, they were all gone.

Yeah, that's a good idea too. Better to have slightly raw fruit than no fruit at all

The cows wouldn't mind some more though, I would think? Or the chickens.

The chickens love the extras too.
I had so many mulberries the last few years, even with 60 or more chickens, they couldn't keep up.