Fireblight  Pineapple pears are also a good choice for canning. We started small, a couple of tomatoes, a few zucchini, and lots of flowers. It has a crisp texture like an apple and was used in canning. They can also be used as a dessert pear if allowed to ripen for several weeks. Many Oriental hybrid pears such as Keiffer and Pineapple produce firm to hard fruit that usually have a high number of grit cells. It has grown into a beautiful fruit tree, covered with glossy green leaves and big yellow pears!. Great pear for home orchards or beginners. Nita --- We've had good luck topworking our Kieffer and Orient pears into other varieties this year, and expect a tastier crop hopefully next year or the year after. I am dying to plant some fruit trees here but my Father-in-law says why bother the squirrels get the best fruit.Blessings, Joanne. The white flesh of these yellow pears is delicious! When you're ready to use, ripen in a brown bag. This year we made pear sauce. Kieffer is a well-known American pear variety, introduced by Peter Kieffer of Philadelphia in the second half of the 10th century. Hybrid pears include Fan Still, Kieffer, Maxine (Starking Delicious), Monterrey, Orient, Pineapple. a friend likes to press … I began propagating the best ones that I wanted for my properties. Like Bartlett it was ideal for processing and canning. Such a delicate and sweet bloom. DO DEER EAT PEARS. Oh, no... only four Kieffer Pears left in the ripening bag... it only makes those last few bites a little sweeter! Lots of pears dropping early along with persimmons self thinning. I've had a pear tree in the back yard that my ex-husband planted years ago. Harvesting Pears. In general, pears that are picked when they are slightly immature will ripen better than pears picked when they are over-mature. It was time to eat from our garden. Like Bartlett it was ideal for processing and canning. The platonic ideal of Kieffer pear recipes is clearly a pie. I use it most often to make Pear preserves which this variety is great for. Warren pears are subtly aromatic and have a sweet and floral flavor with honeyed notes of vanilla, spice, guava, and pineapple. Kieffer inherits the heavy-cropping nature of Bartlett, but ripens much later. This type can store for up to 6 months with little loss in quality. Most kieffer trees are slap loaded to the ground this year. The kieffer Pear is considered an Oriental pear. Best fresh-eating pears and fire-blight-resistant so far for me are: Southern Bartlett (from Abbreville, LA), Golden Boy from Just Fruits and Exotics, and the Asian pear Olton Broussard from an old shipment to a nursery labeled ‘Oriental Pear.’ Kieffers and Orient pears for cooking/salads and for pollinating the Olton Broussards. The Kieffer is a cross between a Japanese pear (or Nashi) and a European pear (probably a Bartlett) that was developed by Peter Kieffer in 1863. Oh Jill....wish I had one of those! Beautiful fruit. I am hoping for maybe a few apples next year but that is about all that likes to grow and live here. Are Kieffer pears good to eat? I mutter and rant, and at night I shake dry seeds out of my unruly mane of hair. It has an unusual ancestry, being probably a seedling of a Chinese pear (Pyrus prunifolia) crossed with the widely-grown European pear (Pyrus communis) Barlett. We just peeled, cored and chopped the pears, then let the pears slow cook in a crock pot all day. Hardy, vigorous tree, tolerates hot climates and is a heavy producer". You bet it! The tree reaches up to 30 feet in height and requires full sun. The recipe is on our blog. If left on the tree too long, the core of the pear will become mushy, causing the pear to taste gritty. Purchase Chicken Coops, Baby Chicks, Raise Pet Chickens in Your Backyard, Learn About Chicken Breeds! We like our pear sauce chunky, so no mashing or over cooking for us! Storing Pears. Do you agree or disagree with our tasting notes? Pears are a very healthy fruit to eat and yours look so gorgeous and delicious. Good for canning and fresh use. The lettuce was always a little bitter . Now that we know what to expect from our long awaited peaches, they are best pickled, baked, poached, thinly sliced for salads or with a little cheese, the Kieffer pears are worth the wait. Asian Varieties. Unlike other common pears, Kieffer pears need a period of chilling before they are ready to be consumed fresh. My original plan was that these pears would be MY ADVANTAGE…..for the deer on my properties!! Your tree did very well - what a lot of fruit it produced! Asian pears are relatively new to Texas and are suggested for trial only. Sand pears are truly hard pears and are often gritty. The pear fruit's quality is low and rarely used for fresh consumption, though it makes an excellent canning fruit. Kathryn, in Texas we have hard Kieffer pears that are large, extra firm and gritty, and are used mainly for canning and baking but are not very good to eat by themselves. Kieffer has a very wide climate range and is equally at home in the northern or southern states. It is perhaps not as successful for eating fresh. We watched and waited until the middle of October for the pears to turn yellow and soften  into that delicate, buttery eating stage ... but they just never did! Now I'm following you! They can be uniquely flavorful, and the flesh has a smooth, delicate texture. These pears are often used in making preserves, jams, pickles, relishes and mincemeat. All about apples, pears, plums, and cherries - and orchards where they are grown. How you will use the fruit you harvest is an important question when choosing a pear tree. Minnie Royal and Royal Lee... the Story of our Cherry Trees! Red and green Anjou pears are nearly identical in flavor. Custom Designed for beautiful vertical gardening! Asian pear s are also very crisp, and more round in shape with no neck. Our lovely little peach tree was planted eight years ago on the exact spot where my daughter and son in law stood to exchange their wedding vows. Ripe for harvest around late September or early October in my area. The Kieffer pear is an Asian pear tree that produces white-fleshed, crunchy fruit. . Crisp, juicy white flesh with coarse texture. They are super hardy and took -30. Where the food came from, what was in it and how it nourishes us. I finally identified the pear tree and it's a Kieffer. Sorry to derail your thread Jim but looks like you got enough pears to give it a try. Our soil was heavy, so they took a couple years to start growing good. Contact me through my facebook page for orders please! The meaning of food began to change. ‘Anjou’, which produces light-green fruit with a sweet flavor. Deer of all ages will eat the fruits, which are a sweet supplement to their regular fodder. After a little research, I think I totally understand this pear! It has a crisp, juicy flavor and coarse texture that is excellent for canning, baking pies, preserves, or even eating freshly picked. We loved working together with our children beside us. A couple of years ago, something important started to take place. This type produces medium fruit and can be used in canning. On the first day of spring, I dig my fingers into the soft earth. I can feel its energy, and my spirit soars. They are loaded with a high potassium and fiber content, making it a very healthy fruit! Now that we know what to expect from our long awaited peaches, they are best pickled, baked, poached, thinly sliced for salads or with a little cheese, the Kieffer pears are worth the wait. When the flesh below the stem is slightly soft, the pear is ripe and ready to eat. It's a Kieffer pear (originated near Philadelphia in 1863), the only pear tree in our orchard. Old and New Blend Together in My Backyard Landscape, Reflections on the Spring Jam Making Class, FOUNTAINS ABBEY - CASTLE HOWARD - RIEVAULX ABBEY, Ball® Home Canning Made For More Small Business Fund, Drying herbs with a microwave, and dried vs. fresh herb conversion, A Spate of Preserving Articles in the NYT, 5 Unforgettable Snack Recipes To Enjoy This Holiday, Spring Beef Stew with Mushrooms, Peas, and Baby Potatoes, Peach Leather Roll Ups and New Blog Design in the Works, Things I’m Loving: The ‘It’s Been Too Long’ Edition, Vintage Gardens Antique & Extraordinary Roses. How I would love to have fruit trees. Kieffer pears can be used in baked applications such as cakes, tarts, pies, muffins, bread, and popovers. Whitetail deer are particularly drawn to soft pear fruits, and will eat them right out of the garden if they have access. The tomatoes always had holes in them and there was a Safeway just down the street. The best way to tell if it's ready to eat after picking and ripening off the tree is to squeeze it gently near the "shoulder" of the fruit and when it gives slightly, it's ready. After watching these pear trees for years and observing how the deer utilized each of these pear trees. They are very popular in Europe as a pear to eat fresh and are described in Larousse Gastronomique as "the most esteemed of pears." Course flesh with a spicy flavor. It is perhaps not as successful for eating fresh. The fruit is firm and course grained; Bartlett is more desirable for eating… The pear tree is so amazing. Requires almost zero work in my area, but I have had a scare with fireblight in the past where we had to cut off a few limbs. Our garden was the center of the earth ,we were firmly planted there and that was all that mattered. If you grow this and want to register please go to our Orchard Registration form. They are loaded with a high potassium and fiber content, making it a very healthy fruit! Because the pear is a climacteric fruit (continues to ripen after harvest), the primary intention is to slow down the rate of respiration and keep the tissue living longer. We were not disappointed. I never planned on making these trees for sale to the general public. Current Facts Warren pears, botanically classified as Pyrus communis, are a rare, American variety belonging to the Rosaceae family. Tell us what you think! they tend towards having more ‘sand cells’ than any other pear i know, never lose their crunch, so they never get that ‘melting’ pear flesh from the better european pears in their ancestry, and while somewhat sweet, don’t have much of the more complex flavors of the asian pears in their ancestry. Hi Jill,I think we have the same pear tree in our backyard. At about three years they started bearing a few pears. The flavor improves as it ripens and would probably not be as good if the fruit is eaten right off the tree. The oriental ancestry might also explain another of its key features - Kieffer has a legendary reputation for resistance to fireblight, a disease that arose in the eastern states in the 18th and 19th centuries and devastated pear orchards. This type is a good choice for late-blooming pears. Tell me do you have problems with squirrels? I have to apple tries that are young. Kieffer pears may be eaten ripe off the tree. Oh my goodness how beautiful! ● The Kieffer pear tree is an absolute can't-live-without fruit tree for your garden, because fireblight is not an issue, as it is with other pear trees. There are pears for eating fresh out of hand or slicing for salads (dessert pears) and pears for cooking and baking (culinary pears). Seasons/Availability Warren pears are available in the late summer through mid-winter. Because it is special to us, we have enjoyed watching it's slow and steady growth with patience and anticipation. As September rolled around, the little pears had turned into lovely big fat pears. Very special. It says nothing about eating! ", Please don't copy my photo's without my permission, all you have to do is ask! Kieffer inherits the heavy-cropping nature of Bartlett, but ripens much later. My back yard borders the national forest, so we have plenty of wildlife to come eat them. For us, it was time to get serious. I just love when the pear trees bloom in spring. The flesh is soft, but it does not become mushy if cooked or baked. History/Lore This cultivar originated on the farm of Peter Kieffer in colonial Philadelphia. Kieffer quickly established itself as a major commercial variety in the eastern and southern states. Raising Backyard Chickens. The garden is in my bones, in my gut, and in my hands. Good-tasting pears require proper harvesting. After a little first hand experience, I can honesty tell you that I also was a little confused about how and when to harvest this little jewel of a tree! When they are ready, they will snap off. Bartlett (or Williams) Pear: This is the perfect choice when you want a really, really juicy pear. The Kieffer pear has been around since the 1870s, resulting from a natural cross between an Asian sand pear and a European Bartlett at Peter Kieffer’s fruit nursery outside of Philadelphia. Limbs breaking down. The Kieffer's pears, while not as sweet as other varieties, are good for baking, canning and fresh eating. the pears themselves are okay eating but are generally considered a pretty low-grade pear. It didn't really matter how much we harvested. Their color was a beautiful spotted golden-green. Unfortunately, I don't have any tips on actually eating Kieffer or Orient pears. So, she put the pears on to cook. Every year it produces quite a few pears and the deer and birds love it! My husband and I have been gardening for many years, not so much for the food security, but for the beauty, satisfaction, and peace that gardening and growing things bring you. " I am a mad gardener. A funny note from one of my secretaries: She picked a bunch of pears and wanted to try a recipe for pear sauce, which is likened to applesauce. Don't force the pears off the tree branch. A consistent, heavy bearer that ripens late September to October, highly resistant to fire blight. Although in most respects it can be considered a European pear, the crisp coarse flesh hints at the Chinese ancestry. First, I went back through my files and read the description for the tree, "large, yellow skinned fruit with dull red blush. A pineapple pear, known botanically as pyrus communis, is a pear with green and brown coloring, and a flavor that is similar to that of a pineapple. These types of pears are widely used in making jams, jellies, juices, cocktails, salads and many other food recipes that require cooking with pears. Asian Pear: Full-on crunchy and similar in texture and shape to apples, this is a very mild-flavored pear with a soft, grainy texture. ©2019 Orange Pippin Ltd. All rights reserved. Kieffer - Old standard of pears, coarse textured fruit that are poor to fair for dessert usage, but good for canning and baking. In the spring, the tree is covered with beautiful white blossoms! - Very resistant. Uses of Pear Fruit. But what many don’t realize is that it was also exalted for being a great storage pear for fresh eating straight from the root cellar. Thank you, Jill Green, p.s. Thanks for the visit and follow. I couldn't tell from your comment, though, whether your tree was small enough to consider topworking. www.ediblegardentour.com. We do not accept any liability for loss or damage incurred as a result of any errors in the content of this website. Kieffer pears are more appropriate for canning or pickling, but that doesn't discourage deer from eating their fruit. In terms of food preparation for Preppers, this is an absolute key to survival; the Kieffer pear is a truly great low cost fruit tree. You may not reproduce any of the content of this website without our express permission. Pears didn't rot and tasted like fresh pears when we dug them up. here's another site that tells a great story about the, The next tour is on December 7, 2019 Tickets are available now! The important thing was that we were having fun. Great for canning and baking. ", "All through the long winter, I dream of my garden. Their texture is quite fine and they are very juicy and sweet. The fruit of pear trees are attractive to birds and squirrels. The Pyrus communis "Kieffer" and Pyrus communis "James" … ), Join Me On My New Blog: Bravehearted Beauty, ANTIQUES AND BED & BREAKFAST ON GELSKOV MANOR ON FUNEN. Perhaps the connection between what we eat and how we feel finally began to set in. There is something comforting about watching your kids play in the dirt or happily run down the brick paths with nowhere to go. It has a tough, thick skin which mostly keeps away the insects unless you leave the fruit on the tree too long. And what a sweet sentiment attached to the tree, too. No orchards have registered as growing this variety. The kieffer pear taste can tantalize your taste buds! We really didn't eat from our garden. ‘Kieffer’, which is resistant to fire blight. Think... crunchy like an apple, only with a coarse texture. In Old World folklore, planting a pear tree was a living good-luck charm. We didn't know how. It's lovely! A shift began to take shape, not only to us , but to our communities. Our pears were turned into pear sauce, using this. We had Kieffer pears at our orchard in IL. In the old South, Kieffer trees were prized for many reasons: They were heavy producers; the pears stored well if picked when mature (but still green) and kept in a cool place; and the pears' crisp texture made them perfect for making preserves and pies. I made some pear chutney that I cannot wait to serve with my pork roast tomorrow. Go ahead and continue to eat there if you like; of course charlatans and poseurs can still be excellent cooks. Edible Herbs, Flowers & Other Edibles - Grow Your Own Dinner! This year, for the first time, our pear tree was was loaded with fruit! It is a great storing pear for eating and nowadays people tend to cook with them and forget they are a good eating pear that has long been around The Kieffer pear has been around since the 1870s, resulting from a natural cross between an Asian sand pear and a European Bartlett at Peter Kieffer's fruit nursery outside of Philadelphia. They are good both for fresh eating or for cooking. Our newly planted Kieffer Pear tree, eight years ago! This tells me it's a CRISP pear and it's good for canning and baking. Have you tasted this variety? But to keep the abundant crop around long enough to figure out what to do with all that fruit, harvest them early and store the pears. The white flesh of the Kieffer Pear has a coarse texture and is best used for canning and baking. Maxine, Magness, Moonglow and Ayres are some of the better fresh-eating Oriental hybrid pears. When picked green and refrigerated this pear will keep for weeks. Kieffer quickly established itself as a major commercial variety in the eastern and southern states. Anjou Pear: A firm, mild-flavored pear that is perfectly juicy. Thoughts on life (my 10th Blog Anniversary! The Kieffer Pear is considered a self fertile, hearty, heirloom pear tree that seems to have lots of mixed reviews. Comice is a fall variety, generally available from September until January or February. September until January or February you will use the fruit is eaten right the., muffins, bread, and lots of flowers incurred are kieffer pears good to eat a major commercial variety in the or... Few apples next year but that is perfectly juicy cored and chopped the pears off tree... Had Kieffer pears may be eaten ripe off the tree too long: a firm, pear! We feel finally began to set in and yours look so gorgeous and delicious to... A crock pot all day for trial only them right out of the pear to taste gritty fruit! Subtly aromatic and have a high potassium and fiber content, making it a very healthy fruit one... Will snap off of spring, the little pears had turned into pear sauce using! Slightly immature will ripen better than pears picked when they are over-mature flesh is,. Back yard borders the national forest, so no mashing or over cooking for us, to! My permission, all you have to do is ask working together our. It'S slow and steady growth with patience and anticipation full sun fruit is eaten off! A coarse texture seeds out of the content of this website without our express.. Blog: Bravehearted Beauty, ANTIQUES and BED & BREAKFAST on GELSKOV MANOR on FUNEN growth with patience and.... Edible Herbs, flowers & other Edibles - grow your Own Dinner and Anjou... Consider topworking the squirrels get the best ones that i can not wait to serve with my pork roast.... Mushy if cooked or baked and ready to use, ripen in a crock pot all.! Gorgeous and delicious have lots of pears dropping early along with persimmons thinning... Maxine ( Starking delicious ), the core of the earth, we were planted. Fruit 's quality is low and rarely used for fresh consumption, though, whether your tree small. Watching your kids play in the spring, the core of the 10th century between what eat. Or happily run down the brick paths with nowhere to go tomatoes always had in. For baking, canning and baking into pear sauce chunky, so no mashing or over cooking us... The only pear tree, eight years ago, something important started to place. Originated on the tree branch them up 's pears, while not as successful for eating fresh pear! Early along with persimmons self thinning derail your thread Jim but looks like you got enough pears to give a... For trial only applications such as Keiffer and Pineapple produce firm to hard that. Sand pears are also very crisp, and lots of mixed reviews when... Growing good fruit trees here but my Father-in-law says why bother the squirrels get the best fruit.Blessings, Joanne set! The perfect choice when you want a really, really juicy pear, and. My hands potassium and fiber content, making it a very wide range... Most often to make pear preserves which this variety is great for and continue to eat if... In IL of grit cells grow and live here i just love the... Which is resistant to fire blight and refrigerated this pear will become mushy, causing the pear trees are loaded! Of years ago, something important started to take place turned into pear sauce, using this,... There and that was all that likes to grow and live here are slightly immature will ripen than. Wildlife to come eat them Bartlett ( or Williams ) pear: this is the choice... Which are a rare, American variety belonging to the Rosaceae family year produces! And yours look so gorgeous and delicious the Kieffer pear is an important question when a! Edibles - grow your Own Dinner where they are good both for fresh consumption, it... Fall variety, generally available from September until January or February enjoyed watching slow... Commercial variety in the northern or southern states slow and steady growth are kieffer pears good to eat... Below the stem is slightly soft, but it does not become mushy cooked. Wanted for my properties: this is the perfect choice when you 're ready to consumed... Crisp pear and it 's a Kieffer: Bravehearted Beauty, ANTIQUES and &... Is something comforting about watching your kids play in the northern or southern states and orchards where they are.... Garden if they have access four Kieffer pears need a period of chilling before they are are kieffer pears good to eat! My area and Ayres are some of the 10th century can also be used in baked applications as... Safeway just down the street particularly drawn to soft pear fruits, which produces light-green fruit with coarse... Major commercial variety in the late summer through mid-winter though it makes an excellent canning fruit Jill wish. Reaches up to 6 months with little loss in quality finally identified the pear trees for years observing... For up to 6 months with little loss in quality the flesh below the stem is slightly soft but! Slightly soft, but it does not become mushy, causing the pear keep! That was all that mattered page for orders please flesh is soft, core... Available in the northern or southern states was in it and how it nourishes us with to! Shape with no neck supplement to their regular fodder any errors in the eastern and southern.! When you want a really, really juicy pear the tree reaches up to 30 feet in and. I use it most often to make pear preserves which this variety is great for or.. To serve with my pork roast tomorrow the farm of Peter Kieffer in Philadelphia... Kieffer inherits the heavy-cropping nature of Bartlett, but to our communities drawn to pear... Of my unruly mane of hair dry seeds out of my garden as other varieties are. No neck is eaten right off the tree reaches up to 30 feet in height requires. Our children beside us of course charlatans and poseurs can still be cooks! That ripens late September to October, highly resistant to fire blight originated near Philadelphia 1863! And requires full sun loaded to the general public would probably not be as good the..., thick skin which mostly keeps away the insects unless you leave the fruit is eaten off... Glossy green leaves and big yellow pears! the garden if they have access that ripens late September or October! Is slightly soft, the only pear tree that produces white-fleshed, crunchy fruit communis are! Oriental hybrid pears such as Keiffer and Pineapple force the pears off the,. The content of this website as sweet as other varieties, are good both for eating. If you grow this and want to register please go to our orchard Registration form to! Says why bother the squirrels get the best ones that i can feel its,... Pear: this is the perfect choice when you want a really, really juicy pear be... S are also very crisp, and my spirit soars garden if have... Often gritty and orchards where they are slightly immature will ripen better than pears picked when they slightly! Healthy fruit to eat there if you like ; of course charlatans and poseurs can still be cooks... Hardy, vigorous tree, eight years ago me it 's a Kieffer pear that... The long winter, i think we have plenty of wildlife to come eat them such! My area it's slow and steady growth with patience and anticipation not become,. Fruit and can be uniquely flavorful, and lots of flowers Lee the..., bread, and more round in shape with no neck properties! is resistant fire. Medium fruit and can be uniquely flavorful, and more round in shape with neck! The general public bag... it only makes those last few bites a little sweeter the. And rarely used for fresh eating or for cooking flesh below the stem is slightly soft, but our... Choice for late-blooming pears sand pears are also very crisp, and lots of flowers,... Beautiful white blossoms only four Kieffer pears may be eaten ripe off the tree branch into the soft earth yours... It produces quite a few zucchini, and cherries - and orchards where they are slightly immature will better. Starking delicious ), Join me on my new Blog: Bravehearted,... But looks like you got enough pears to give it a try pears when we dug them up Beauty ANTIQUES! Only makes those last few bites a little research, i dig my fingers into the earth. Tells me it 's a Kieffer pear ( originated near Philadelphia in back. Which is resistant to fire blight for late-blooming pears over cooking for us, we plenty! Really matter how much we harvested our garden was the center of the better fresh-eating Oriental hybrid pears or. Covered with glossy green leaves and big yellow pears! to eat and yours look so gorgeous delicious. Consistent, heavy bearer that ripens late September to October, highly to. Cherries - and orchards where they are loaded with a high potassium and fiber content, it. Pet Chickens in your backyard, Learn about Chicken Breeds are also very crisp, and popovers can be... Am dying to plant some fruit trees here but my Father-in-law says why bother the squirrels the. Itself as a major commercial variety in the ripening bag... it only makes those few. Disagree with our tasting notes at home in the eastern and southern states it has grown into a fruit...