North Star Orchard

Asian Pears and Pears

We currently grow 7 varieties of Asian pears and 18 varieties of European pears. The following alphabetized list includes details of those varieties that have borne fruit. Those without information are young trees, and we will update this list with information as it becomes available. Please note that many of our fruit varieties are grown in very limited quantities, and may not be available at our farmer's market locations, as we distribute particularly rare varieties to CSA members first.

Asian Pears

Atago: Very large, reddish in color. Mildly sweet and crispy, with hints of walnut. Japanese variety. Late October.

Hosui: Medium sized, firm, sweet, melt in your mouth texture. These have quite a thin skin which is not bitter, unlike some other varieties, so you can just crunch right into them. Do have a napkin handy, however...and we recommend you do not drive while eating one of these. They are indeed super-juicy! Japanese variety. Late August.

Ichiban: Medium sized, rich flavor. Sweet, with hints of butterscotch or caramel, perhaps? Early August.

Niitaka: Large, sweet and juicy. Has a mild, somewhat nutty flavor and a pleasant crunch, which make them a great counterpoint to serve with curry or other spicy dishes, or on salads containing strongly-flavored greens or cheeses. They also stand up well to cooking. Both the texture and flavor are somewhat inbetween that of Hosui and Olympic. Japanese variety. October.

Olympic: Very large and juicy. They are super-crisp, more in line with the crunch of an apple. Sugar cube sweet through most of the flesh, with a somewhat tart bite towards the core. I like to cut them into large slices, so as to enjoy all the flavors and textures at once. They are great to serve with meals or salads, and are firm enough to stand up to cooking, such as in pies. Korean variety. Early October.

Shinsui: Small, crisp, and super-sweet. Prepare yourself for a sugar rush! Japanese variety. Early August.

Yoinashi: Medium sized, crisp and sweet with hints of butterscotch. I prefer to eat these peeled, as I find the skin a bit bitter. But some folks like the skin, so experiment! Japanese variety. Mid-September.

European Pears

Ambrosia

Atlantic Queen

Aurora

Bella de Guigno

Blake's Pride: Sweet, with nice texture. Early September.

Crisp N' Sweet

Delight (Harrow Delight): Small fruit with luscious sweet flavor. An incomparable early pear! Only a few days on the counter, and they'll be melt-in-your-mouth soft and juicy, with a smooth buttery texture. Check for a bit of give up at the stem end to determine ripeness. Late July.

Delicious: Flavor similar to Bartlett, but not grainy at all. Early September.

Harrow Sweet: Very sweet, and very late...the last pears of the year.

Harvest Queen: very similar to Bartlett, but slightly smaller fruit.

Highland

Honeysweet

Magness: A cross of Seckel and Comice, combining the best of both parents. When fully ripened, this is one of the best flavored European pears. Generally, several days to almost a week on the counter are required for the proper softness to be attained. Late September.

Orcas

Potomac: Similar to D'Anjou. Very late season.

Seckel (sugar pear): Very small and very sweet. Can be eaten crunchy, or allowed to soften. Early September.

Superfine

Tyson

Ubileen

White Doyenne