The Best Place to go for Pear Picking
Singo Pears or Korean Pears
Pear Picking
Every October, our family would go apple picking in upstate NY. We've just added pear picking to our picking list. Recently, I discovered the best farm to pick Korean pears or known as Singo pears. Evergreen Farm is what this famous pear orchard is called (located in NJ). You can pick your own pears on Sundays at the orchards. One drawback is that they are closed on Saturdays. Anyway, if you don't get to pick your own fruits, their store is stocked with many pears (nicely and neatly boxed) for you to buy. In addition to pears, they have concord grapes, peaches, peppers, and corn for sale. However, nothing can replace the fun of picking your favorite pears right off the trees. As soon as I stepped into the orchards, I was amazed by the beauty of the pear trees. The arching pear trees were simply captivating! The gigantic pears, suspending from the branches, look so tempting! And YES, they are extremely juicy, sweet, and refreshing! What is the best part about picking your own fruit? I say it's that you get to taste the fruit before buying them.
There's a playground for children to enjoy themselves while you relax nearby. If you go with seniors, that's a plus because they give them a free Korean BBQ chicken (cooked on site so you can watch the cooking process while waiting on line - WARNING: long, long, long line). Also, there are plenty of picnic tables on the farm so you can bring your favorite food if you plan to have lunch there and stay a bit longer.
Beautiful pear trees
Some Facts About Korean Pears
Korean Pears or Singo-Bae are very crunchy, sweet, and juicy. Some of us might call they "Apple Pear." These pears are rich in fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin K. Not only are they healthy and nutritious, they are used as meat tenderizers. Have you ever ordered BBQ ribs at Koearn restaurants? The secret ingredient to the sweetness and tenderness of the ribs is owed much to these Singo pears.
Singo pears are quite expensive. They cost about $2.50 per pound at the farm. Some of the pears even weigh over a pound - that how huge they can get. You might find a better deal at the Asian supermarkets. But again, nothing beats the freshness of the fruits as they're just picked right off the trees.