Boulder County Farmers Markets: At the Market: How to pick a peck of perfect pears
Boulder County Farmers Markets
This year, in these first few days of autumn, we have come to a very important conclusion: Pears are the unsung heroes of Colorado-grown fruits.
There are sweet, buttery Bartlett pears; crisp, mellow Asian pears, and Dominguez Red pears that are juicy and slightly floral. Pears are perfect for packing in a lunchbox, elevating your baking projects or even pairing with cheese in savory dishes. All in all, if you’re only lining up for peaches and apples at our markets, you’re making a grave mistake.
Top of the crop: Topp Fruits’ Pears
Topp Fruits LLC is a family farm that operates USDA Certified Organic orchards at three sites on the Western Slope of Colorado in the towns of Paonia and Hotchkiss. They joined us at our Boulder Wednesday market and our online market for the first time in 2022. They are dedicated to improving soil health, tree health, water efficiency and production diversity.
Since Harrison Topp has evidently mastered the art of growing delicious pears, we had to ask him a few questions:
Q: What varieties of pears do you grow, and which is your favorite?
A: We grow Bartlett, Red Dominguez and Bosc pears. I really like the Red Dominguez. It’s similar to a Bartlett, but can take on a beautiful red hue. It also tastes wonderful. Pears are the butteriest of all the fruits that we grow. They can be finicky, but are really special when they are ripe and ready to eat.
Q: How is growing pears different from other fruit trees?
A: Pears have a lot of similarities to apples, but also quite a few differences. Things like codling moth and fire blight are issues with pears, just like apples; but then pruning, training and harvesting are pretty different. For example, there are a number of tools we use to determine whether an apple is ready, including a starch test, a Brix reading and just tasting for best flavor. But with pears, one of our only tools to determine when it’s time to pick is a penetrometer, or a fruit firmness tester. Unlike apples, once we pick a pear, we need to refrigerate them for about two weeks to let the flavors and texture mature. Then they still need to set out for another five to seven days until they are ready to eat. So in order to harvest them at the right time, we measure the firmness of the pear. This is our first year growing pears, and it has been one of my favorite new experiences as a farmer. They are very fun to grow and harvest, and they offer such a nice sensory experience — from their shape and color to their flavor and texture.
Q: How does your soil and crop management impact the taste of the fruit you grow?
A: That’s a great question! I think one of our biggest advantages is that we can wait just a little longer than a commercial harvest and try to get a sweeter, more delicious pear for our customers. Of course, we approach growing pears with the same stewardship values as the rest of our crops, which includes a focus on soil health and water conservation. We’re certified organic, so we rely on nonsynthetic fertilizers, green manure and compost for our nutrition. I personally think that’s a great way to farm and produce fantastic fruit.
Be sure to find Topp Fruits at our last two Wednesday markets of the season (Sept. 28 and Oct. 5).
TAG GOES HERE
A Pearfectly Simple Sweet Treat
Baked pears are a perfect dessert or sweet breakfast for the fall; they are warming, juicy and as cozy as your favorite chunky sweater. Visit Ela Family Farm, Topp Fruits or First Fruits Organic Family Farms at markets or order online at bcfm.org for pickup. Online ordering is a great option if you don’t want to lug a heavy case of fruit through the market. Because let’s face it, you’re going to want to eat these pears on repeat, so you might as well buy them in bulk.
INGREDIENTS
4 ripe pears, halved and cored
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/4 cup honey (buy local honey from Bjorn’s or the Lazy Bee Ranch at markets)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Optional topping: 1 cup Spark & Honey Granola
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix melted butter, honey and cinnamon in a bowl.
Place pears cut-side-up on a lined baking sheet. Brush with butter mixture.
Bake 30 minutes until pears are soft and tender.
Serve warm and optionally topped with vanilla ice cream, granola or chopped nuts.
View more on Colorado Hometown Weekly