What is everyone eating from their orchard today?

If it yields slightly to thumb pressure, then pick and eat it. Once it is separated from the tree, the clock begins ticking. They’re really only good for 48 hrs after picking. After that, they get overripe and nasty (at least, that’s my opinion). It is possible to refrigerate them and keep them for up to a week, but I don’t like them that way.

If it is still solid green and hard as a rock, then you might have picked it too early (not ripe), in which case it may never taste good.

The thumb test is key. Sometimes pawpaws have a yellow, brown, black or off-greenish cast when they’re ripe, but the color thing is not always reliable.

Just started on the Empires. Very juicy and great flavor this year.

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I haven’t dehydrated anything, though I’ve made a lot of grape jelly from the 65 lbs of seeded grapes I’ve picked over the last two weeks.

Most of the plums and the damaged Asian pears have been eaten (everyone in the family is a fan of the AP). I need to figure out what to do with so many apples (I’m the major consumer of those and have had some digestive issues with them recently). Some of the Carolina Gold peaches went bad on the counter, but most of the rest have been eaten. That’s good, as Encore peaches are starting to drop from the tree, so there will be another (smaller) wave. I’ve also been bringing fruit into work and giving some away to other friends.

One fruit that I’ve got packed safely into the fridge is 20th Century Asian pears. Not only has it been very productive (76 fruit, weighing 28lbs of unmarked fruit is in the fridge), but it has been the best tasting, compared to Yoinashi and Shinko. Yoinashi is relatively close and sometimes has higher brix, 12-14 vs 11-13 and Shinko was way behind IMO.

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Bob,
I used to think 20th century was only OK. I change my mind this year when we had almost no rain for a month. It is sweet and juicy. My whole family love them.

I removed Shinko a couple years ago. The taste was not worth the real estate in yard.

I removed Shinko and Yoinashi is exiting this winter as well. Its been a notch lower in flavor for the last several years. It also ripens at the same time as better asian pears which are planted right next to it and would love the space :smile: I am finding Korean Giant to be a good one, its later so really stretches out the harvest. Then there is Shin-Li, which is super late (October here).

I am drying pawpaw right now, making fruit leather. Its taking a long time, I should have made the layer thinner. Its also too lumpy, will puree next time.

My figs were eaten by yellow jack and other wasps, did not have this kind of problem until this year.Too many creatures are after my fruits :cry: .



I still have about 20 something counts of the 20th Century pears hanging on the tree. But it’s coming to a close pretty soon. On the other hand, I still have a tree hangs full of Shinko pears. I think they’re ready about now but they’re not as big as last year’s probably due to my failure to prune off the fruitlets more prudently. Something to learn every year…

I agree with Mamuang about 20th Century’s taste. After a month of no rain, I came to really appreciate its thin skin, sweet and juiciness. Quite refreshing!

Tom

Mine is nowhere near edible!

Fig grows a little strange way, the fruitlets grow into certain size and just sit there for a while, then suddenly grow really fast and ripen. Hope yours will ripe before the cold temp arrives

Scott, What are the pears next to Yoinashi that you prefer? I like Korean Giant even more than 20th Century, though I don’t think everyone in the family agrees (but none turn their nose up at either). But it will be a while before I pick KG and mine seems a bit biennial (maybe not enough sun for the heavy load it had last year). It (KG) has few pears, so it has put on a ton of growth this year (one waterspout looks 6-8’ long). I’ll have plenty of scionwood this winter if anyone wants to try it.

I grafted 3 more AP from ARS this spring and all have grown well, so maybe I’ll get to try them next year. There seems to be enough demand for Asian pears in my family, so it seems worthwhile to try a range of them.

I agree- I had someone tell me the other day that it was the juiciest pear they have ever had.

Its crammed in with several. Kosui in particular is fantastic and could use more room and its also across from the excellent Shin-Li.

I never tried 20th Century. At this point I probably have been through enough asian pears but if I ever add a new one that will be it.

Scott,

I am with Bob that I prefer KG over 20th C. KG tastes great rain or no rain. 20th only tastes this good this year because of the mini drought we got.

If you want 20th C scionwood, let me know.

I have Hosui for the first time this year. A notch below this year 20 th C. Overtime, who knows?

I have Kosui grafted on to Hosui. I don’t know when I could get to try Kosui.

Here in NY my Dapple Dandy still aren’t ripe. Very frustrating as bird damage has progressed to ant and earwig damage and then they fall half rotted. I wonder if the dry weather has slowed ripening.

I just harvested my first ever fig! A Chicago hardy. It was quite small. Maybe slightly larger than a quarter in diameter. Thought is looked quite nice but not a whole lot of flavor to be honest. I quartered it and sampled it with my wife, daughter, and sister. My wife and sister agreed it was pretty good. My daughter wanted more! Lol. Sadly I had to tell her it was the only fig that was ripe. Some of the others have disappeared so maybe the birds have gotten to them.

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Congrats! They are usually sweet as honey. Hope you get more!

Today is raspberry picking day again. The berries will last through the month in full force. These are ‘Carolines’ along with a few ‘Kiwi Gold’ and there are a few ‘Ouachita’ blackberries in the mix as well. Smells delish!

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Very nice… Are you spaying for SWD or do you not have it there?

My Fall Gold is getting hammered by SWD since i took out all my Caroline. My plan is to move to summer bearing raspberries (looking at Prelude and some others)…and with black raspberries i should be able to get my fix.

I spray for fungus in the fall. Fingers crossed (no swd here, yet). I am very lucky!

Mrs. G.,
Fabulous fruit you harvested. Raspberry is my daughter’s favorite but I have no space for it plus I fear the dreaded SWD.

My Chacogo Hardy were small, too. I let them on the tree until they started to shrivel as suggested bt experienced fig growers. They tasted good.

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Split this perfect lunker with the wife and kids. It was growing at the very top if my ild tree 30+ off the ground.

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