The pear audit

      Thankfully there aren't as many varieties of pear in the orchard as there are apples, in fact there are two varieties in the orchard plus another in the old farmhouse garden.
      The Comice and Beurre Hardy trees in the orchard are about eighty years old and the single tree of Souvenir Du Congress was planted by the farmer's grandfather in 1912 making it the grand total of one hundred and five years old. In reality it's older because it had to grow for several years to the sapling stage before being planted.

Comice, a really juicy pear maturing towards the end of September,
it will dribble juice all down your chin. Guaranteed.

Beurre Hardy, maturing at about the same time as the Comice,
it's all down to your personal preference. Of course we like them all.

Souvenir Du Congress. The farmer reckons this pear is best stewed and served warm
with ice cream and flaked plain chocolate. Who are we to argue.

      Meanwhile as you fight your way through the overgrown orchard more of natures treasure reveals itself as a thicket of Brambles carrying pounds of berries romps through a collapsed Discovery apple tree which is also sporting some beautiful and perfectly ripe fruit.
      The temptation in this Garden of Eden proves to be just too much and I simply have to pick one apple for immediate consumption. Perfect and delicious.