06/27/2018 | News release | Distributed by Public on 07/12/2018 23:07
California pear farming areas are arguably in some of the most desirable and beautiful places in the state.
The beauty of historic pear orchards contributes significantly to the appeal of communities such as Courtland and Clarksburg, located in the Sacramento River Delta growing region.
Lakeport and Kelseyville represent the Lake County pear growing district. Ukiah, in the Mendocino growing district, rounds out the real estate.
Together these growing areas produce approximately 150,000tons of pears each year. The volume of pears produced in California has declined in recent years, as has the number of pear farmers.
Even so, the California pear industry remains a leading supplier of pears to the world.
Today's California pear farmer is very likely to be part of a farming family who has been growing pears for generations. There are about 60pears farmers who grow pears in California. Many are still farming on the same land their forefathers planted decades ago.
Fortunately, pear trees have a long, productive life. The average age of a California pear orchard is between 30and 100years. The average size of a California pear farm is 130acres.
The California pear industry is a close knit community. The sustainable practices employed by California pear farmers make them excellent neighbors in the small, rural communities where pears are grown.
Fresh pears are all harvested and packed by hand. This requires a significant amount of labor, particularly during harvest.
As with all of California agriculture, farm workers are an important and valued resource. Pear farmers are committed to healthy relationships with the other businesses and residents of the communities where they live and work. They strive to protect the quality of life and support the local economies.
Several varietal pears are grown in the Golden state. From Comice and Bosc, to Seckel and Forelle, there is a pear for every taste. Bartlett pears may still be the most desirable.
By 1849, Bartlett pear trees had arrived in California, brought West by prospectors eager to strike it rich in the Gold Rush. Those who planted and farmed pears found their true fortunes in this golden fruit.
California grew to be the nation's supplier of pears as the first large-scale commercial fruit industry emerged. Many of the farming families who originally planted pears near Sacramento's Gold Rush communities are still growing pears today.