The largest cultivation of pears takes place in California, with a long pear season. Late summer/early fall is pear season in New York, where you can find this fruit from August to October. Michigan has a short pear season starting by mid-August and for only a month and a half.
The United States is the biggest pears-producing country in the world. If you like to know when are pears in season close by you, you can revise the full American seasonality in the following chart.
Pear season chart
State | Pears in season |
---|---|
Alabama | August till November |
Alaska | August till September |
Arizona | August |
Arkansas | August till November |
California | January till February and August till December |
Colorado | August till October |
Connecticut | August till December |
Delaware | August till December |
Georgia | August till November |
Idaho | September till November |
Illinois | August till October |
Indiana | August till October |
Iowa | August till September |
Kansas | July till November |
Kentucky | mid-August till November |
Louisiana | mid-July till September |
Maine | mid-August till October |
Maryland | mid-August till October |
Massachusetts | September till mid-November |
Michigan | mid-August till September |
Minnesota | September till October |
Mississippi | August till mid-November |
Missouri | July till November |
Montana | September till October |
Nebraska | August till October |
Nevada | August till October |
New Hampshire | August till October |
New Jersey | August till mid-September |
New Mexico | August till October |
New York | August till October |
North Carolina | August till October |
North Dakota | August till mid-October |
Ohio | August till October |
Oklahoma | August till October |
Oregon | August till November |
Pennsylvania | August till October |
Rhode Island | August till October |
South Carolina | August till October |
South Dakota | August till mid-October |
Tennessee | September till October |
Texas | June till September |
Utah | mid-July till August |
Vermont | August till October |
Virginia | July till October |
Washington | August till November |
West Virginia | August till October |
Wisconsin | mid-July till mid-October |
Wyoming | August till October |
Pears have a unique mark on the calendar: December marks National Pear Month when ten varieties of pears are harvested nationwide. They include Starkrimson, Bartlett, Concorde, Bosc, Comice, Green Anjou (perhaps the most common), Red Anjou, Forelle, Red Bartlett and Seckel.
The onset of the pear season is usually marked by the presence of Bartlett varieties in the stores. The Comice and Bosc Varieties generally follow this.
They are in season from August to October in most states. In places such as California, the season is usually more extended and runs from August to March. In others, such as Michigan, it is shorter and runs for less than two months. That is usually from mid-August to the end of September.
It is difficult to identify the best pears right off the bat. In this case, it is not easy to tell how they taste from just their appearances. Therefore, it is advisable to buy pears from local farmers while they are in season. They probably have been picked recently, and their chances of being fresh are high.
To get the best experience from pears, buy them while they are still hard and relatively unripe because pears ripen best off the tree.
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