Pear Pressure | Chickens in the Road

Nov
1

Remember when we picked all these pears? Six buckets of pears.

Pears, pears. Everywhere–pears. They mock me. They say I can’t handle the pears.

They might be right.

It rained and rained yesterday, and I peeled and chopped and peeled and chopped.

It was a day for ducks.

But me, I was engaged in a battle. Me vs the pears. I’m freezing them in syrup. (See this post for how I freeze pears.) When I’m dealing with a large quantity of fruit all at once, I freeze as a first step. Preservation is the crucial rush. With pears, by the way, if they’re still hard, I can use a peeler, which makes it much easier. When I blanch them in the syrup, they become soft. I freeze them in pints so I can easily take out as much or little as I want later to use in cakes, muffins, breads, pies, crisps, or further process by canning into jams, butters, mincements, chutneys, or mixed fruit. I like this method of first processing because it allows me to put a large quantity of fruit “on hold” quickly and leaves all my options open. (I have a bunch of peaches and apples in the freezer awaiting further use or processing, too. I love having lots of fruit! It’ll be another year till free fruit comes around again.)

Six buckets is a lot of pears. Like I used to suddenly need to clean my bathroom when I had a book deadline looming, I was tempted by other things. Not the bathroom.

I was tempted by this pumpkin. What could be inside such a lovely monstrosity? Regular pumpkin goop? It was enticing to abandon the pears to play with my new friend. Hello, Mr. Funky Pumpkin.

I think I love you. Isn’t that what life is made of?

I miss the Partridge Family. Have I ever mentioned my cosmic connection to David Cassidy? His birthday is one day apart from mine. When I was 12, I was sure that meant something important. Like that we should get married.

Maybe I should go download the complete Partridge Family music collection from the internet. Like a project. Like instead of cutting up pears……

Or–

Hello, Mr. Pear. What a handsome fella.

Suzanne! Get to work!

But there are too many pears! I can’t handle the pears! I wonder if somehow there could be fewer pears? I wonder if Mr. Pear wants to go outside?

Mr. Pear? Would you like to meet Mr. Funky Pumpkin?

Mr. Pear, you lost your hat! That’s okay. You’re still a cheerful (and handsome) fella. You wanna meet Clover next?

Mr. Pear: “Oh noooooooo!”

Don’t be afraid, Mr. Pear! You know I mean you harm. I mean, you know I mean you NO HARM.

Clover, meet Mr. Pear. Mr. Pear, meet Clover.

Mr. Pear: “NOOOOOOOO!”

Clover: “Come to me, darling.”

Mr. Pear?

Are you okay, Mr. Pear?

Mr. Pear!

Clover! Where is Mr. Pear, you beautiful goat?

Clover: “Mr. Pear who?”

I apologize for this post. I’m under a lot of pear pressure.

P.S. Some pears were harmed in the making of this post.

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50 Responses
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11-1
1:42
am

Ok readers, I think we need to send someone out to rescue Suzanne from her pears. She has become positively delirious, and the pumpkins look as if they are just biding their time to attack.
To bad for Mr. Pear!
Clover and her ‘clan of munching buddies’ didn’t mind helping.

jan 'n' tn - Reply
11-1
3:29
am

Food mill I say. Don’t have to peel them then. Make pear sauce. You can make pear butter or fruit leather later from the sauce. I canned up quarts of it this year because if it’s made into fruit leather my kids will eat it all at once. This way I can make more fruit leather in late winter and extend the fruit leather season. Also, dried pears are the absolute favorite dried fruit here.

Sheila Z - Reply
- 11-1
  3:36
  pm
  
  Hi Sheila,
  Would you share your recipe for pear leather? This I could make with my grandsons.. who love to create in the kitchen. We all love ginger, pepper and lemon pear pie, adapted from Bon Appetit.
  My sister in law gave me dried pears one Christmas and I would love to know how to do that well, too. Thanks, my email is kayebrabec@hotmail.com
  
  kaye brabec - Reply
11-1
4:15
am

you are so funny, and handy to know pears can be frozen.
i do not have a peartree here, but always buy to many pears, and this time i couldn’t find my preservejars………and the store’s are lousy at this, it seems they are getting harder to find by the minute.
so let’s see if i can make this work.
thanks again.

hugs

gwen - Reply
11-1
4:31
am

I feel your pain…the canning season lasted forever this year and it can definitely feel overwhelming!! Thanks for the good laugh this morning!

Very happy to see that you are so far ahead in the SAM-e poll!

Dayhiker - Reply
11-1
5:55
am

That is exactly how I felt when I had 4 boxes of apples to deal with…lol

kristen - Reply
11-1
5:56
am

Lol! You are too funny! Why peel them all now. Can they be frozen with the peel on? That is, indeed, a lot of work!

Can you make pear sauce like apple sauce and just cook the entire cut up pear, then strain it all after to take out the peel and seeds and stuff? Sounds like you need a break for a day.

Runningtrails - Reply
- 11-1
  6:25
  am
  
  I wanted to have a good bit of pears in slices with the peels off for stuff like pies and cakes where I’m particular about them, but I’m planning to food mill whatever’s left when I can’t take it anymore, just running them through with the peels on like I do with apples for apple butter.
  
  Suzanne - Reply
  - 11-1
    5:43
    pm
    
    I have been voting for you Suzanne. BUT!, ONLY BECAUSE YOU ARE SO STUNNING…LOL
    
    Brenda - Reply
11-1
6:02
am

Poor Mr Pear, I want your tree. It is the same type of pear tree we had growing up. Do you know the name of the tree?
In the fall Dad and I would gather the pears and wrap each one in newspaper and pack them in a styrofoam ice chest and kept it in the garage. Then later in the winter after we were finished milking and choring, daddy and I would grab one of those pears and munch out. They were so cold,juicy and and YUM!
P.S. I have been voting daily, Good Luck!
Terry

Terry Stites - Reply
- 11-1
  6:26
  am
  
  I don’t know what kind of pears they are. This wasn’t our tree, and our friends who let us pick there didn’t know what kind of pears they were either.
  
  Suzanne - Reply
11-1
6:15
am

OOOOooooooooo!!! You seem so sweet on the surface but you are a black-hearted devil when it comes to an over abundance of pears!!
Wonder how Pear Cobbler would be?
Carol

carol - Reply
11-1
7:04
am

My canning days are over. I have retired, but I remember tomatoes. Baskets and baskets of tomatoes, and no goats around when you needed them.
I keep voting, cause I know how much that job would mean to you, and how well you would do that job.

Phyllis Ryan - Reply
11-1
7:07
am

You must be canning with Brandy, girl.
BTW, I saw your post on making yoghurt. I got into that in a big way in the ’70s. I also found out (by accident and to my dogs’ great disgust) that you can culture sour cream, too.
Suz in NV

Suz in the Tules - Reply
11-1
7:11
am

I see that everyone got into the pear action. Funny, I’ll bet not a seed of Mr Pear was left. The funniest picture is the one where Clover is licking her lips. Priceless!

Valerie - Reply
11-1
7:18
am

Good morning all–can you run the pear peices with their skin on an make a pear butter?
If so, that would taste so good on buscuits or toasted Grandmother bread.

JOJO
OHIO

JOJO - Reply
11-1
7:22
am

HA! This is just what I needed this morning! Poor, poor Mr. Pear. Lucky Clover and clan. I have to agree with jan’n'tn… I think you better take out Mr. Pumpkin before he gets you!!

Thank you for a Sunday Morning SMILE!! (=

Lish - Reply
11-1
7:27
am

I was planning to come here this morning to leave a snippy comment about the recent lack of Clover posts, but here she is!!! Yay Clover! Buh-bye, Mr. Pear!

Nita in SC - Reply
11-1
7:30
am

A goat does, what a goat does best….eat!

Voted this morning….what is the address to see who is in the lead?

Box Call - Reply
- 11-1
  7:43
  am
  
  Here it is:
  
  http://www.sam-e.com/job/entries
  
  Thank you!!
  
  Suzanne - Reply
11-1
7:34
am

Those pears look like mine…..Keifer pears….and I can sympathize with you on the peeling….
my kingdom for an automatic pear peeler!!

Melinda - Reply
11-1
7:38
am

Oh Suzanne, sorry to put you under more pressure but you have to try pear honey. My mom finally got the recipe for it last year (it was something my great grandmother made when my mom was little. I literally ate an entire pint by myself (over the course of a few days). The stuff is addictive.

I posted it over on the recipe forum in case you want to try it.

Pear Honey

KentuckyFarmGirl - Reply
- 11-1
  7:45
  am
  
  I would love to try pear honey! That sounds fantastic.
  
  Suzanne - Reply
11-1
7:42
am

Those pears look great and love the pic of Clover enjoying Mr. pear, lol! I loved David Cassidy too, what a cutie, and he’s still not bad looking today even;) Goin’ over to vote now…..

Carmen Smith - Reply
11-1
7:51
am

I have never put up pears but this year I did put up over 500 jars of different stuff…I tried something new this year. I canned apple pie filling.
I voted today.
Fran

Gert Hubbard - Reply
11-1
8:25
am

ROTFLMAO!
Suzanne, you are one crazy gal!

Mr. Pear and Mr. Pumpkin looked like they should have been featured on Halloween, too.

This is exactly how I feel when I look at my messy house! Let’s go play with the cats, let’s cuddle up for a nap with the dog, let’s read a book…..anything but CLEAN the HOUSE! AAAARRRGGHH!

Too funny!

Cousin Sheryl - Reply
11-1
8:29
am

Woohooo Suzanne…you’re WAY ahead of the next lady in the contest! Hubby got the weekend off so he wasn’t able to vote but he just told me that he’ll make sure to vote when he goes in tonight. Poor Mr Pear…but he made some goats pretty happy…love Clover licking her lips LOL! Figures. That’s a lot of pears to process but boy you’ll be eating well this winter. I don’t know about you but I always crave fruit and veggies in the middle of winter…you’ll have a LOT of choices…lucky girl!

Chic - Reply
11-1
8:58
am

If you have some that are still firm, fix them as you so fried apples, yummy!

JOJO
OHIO

JOJO - Reply
11-1
9:15
am

6 buckets?? That is nothing!! I have 3 huge laundry baskets of pears that are massive fruits to begin with!! PEAR PRESSURE has struck everywhere…(well, I did give one basket to a friend..) .

Thanks for the freezing tip…I can quarts of the babies, but will freeze some today….then I get to haul in loads of corn (thank God we can get back in the fields again).

off to vote for you……….

IowaCowgirl - Reply
11-1
9:17
am

I’ll tell ya what Suzanne…I will volunteer to come out and help you get through your pear pressure. I can help you peel, slice, syrup and freeze. And then I will wash your dishes and windows and sort your laundry to put it in the washer and dryer. Then I will sit down with you and help you enjoy your peaceful quiet around your farm. Oh, of course after I help pay attention to all your wonderful fur babies!
I know you do so much work there, but somehow it seems to all be so much more fun than all the work I have to do here!
Just went and voted…you are so far ahead of all the others. And rightfully so!

Claudia W - Reply
11-1
10:08
am

I’m so glad to see how far ahead you are in the voting!!!
Today’s post made me chuckle – I love goat lips, tongues, and smiles. Poor Mr. Pear. Why don’t you have a goat icon/gravatar? We need one!!!

Nancy in Iowa - Reply
11-1
10:14
am

I don’t blame Clover, pears are good! Almost as good as cookies. Poor Mr. Pear though. By the way, what was up with the pumpkin? Does it have some type of pumpkin disease?

Hannah - Reply
11-1
10:15
am

That was so cute. Thanks for the smile…you brighten my day every morning! Also, 3600 votes ahead and counting! We’ll vote you into that job yet!! Have a great day!!!!

NorthCountryGirl - Reply
11-1
11:32
am

I love pears!
Cold icey mornings those pears are gonna be yummy on hot buttered biscuits.
You are certainly Blessed

J - Reply
11-1
11:40
am

What a HOOT!!!!

Thanks for the big ol’ belly laugh!

Kat - Reply
11-1
11:41
am

You know, back in the “old day” (and I’m really not that old, lol) family and friends would come over and make a big party out of doing that sort of thing. “Many hands”, you know….I remember having huge “can the corn” parties or “dress the chickens” party. (oops, sorry…that might hit too close to home.) But, needless to say, it made for good memories and light work. Seems like people don’t do that anymore.

Jo - Reply
11-1
11:45
am

Wooo hooo Suzanne!! Let’s keep up the voting and make the Sam-E writing gig a reality for a truly talented and deserving writer!!!

Ms E - Reply
11-1
12:02
pm

ROFLMAO Thanks so much for a great laugh – just love your animal stories. And yay – you are almost 4,000 votes up!!!!

catslady - Reply
11-1
1:45
pm

Thanks for the funny story! I can always use that kind of laugh-out-loud funny. It’s good for my health!

Have your kids suddenly developed an intense interest in their homework so that they can’t help with the pears? My mom used to enlist us to stem grapes, shuck and peel corn, snap beans, etc… I didn’t like it at the time but now I am glad I know how to do these kinds of things!

Ruth C - Reply
11-1
1:45
pm

Suzanne,
All I can say is Pear Honey! I only had 5 buckets of pears this season and I made so many new preserves but pear honey was by far the most successful. I sell my jams and jellies so next year it will be almost all pear honey because I am sold out. We ate a whole jar at dinner one night. I will give you my recipe if you are interested and it is beyond simple. I keep voting.

Elaine - Reply
11-1
2:06
pm

Love the post today, I use the same method of holding fruit until I have time to get at it, have two big bags of frozen plums waiting to be made into jam for Christmas gifts. Clover looks so innocent in the last photo…too funny. Yay!! for the vote lead!!

Betty - Reply
11-1
3:49
pm

I prefer my pears canned. Did about 40 quarter this year, my Mom calls me every few days and asks for a new quart. They’ll be gone soon.

Twigs - Reply
11-1
4:02
pm

Suzanne–I forgot to ask you yesterday –were the shoes you had on in your post PRADA ?

JOJO - Reply
11-1
6:24
pm

I am the only one who feels sorry for Mr Pear?

I made crockpot yogurt today. Just checked it after letting it sit for 6 hours. IT WORKED! Now if I just had some Pear honey to mix it with it for breakfast tomorrow…..

Maggie - Reply
11-1
6:48
pm

Getting late to your post Suzanne. Am voting for you each day – so glad to see you are ahead! You Go Girl! Poor Mr Pear, but Happy Clover and friends. I didn’t do much canning this year, but did do chili, sloppy joes, chicken soup, and beef soup – for those long winter nights in KY in December. Mr Pumpkin needs some digging into before he gets loose. Take care, and I’m rootin for you to win the SAMe contest. Love from KY

Kathy in Fayette Co KY - Reply
11-1
8:08
pm

Oh, that post cracked me up. I believe I would be in the same state if faced with all of those pears! I’m afraid David Cassidy may have already been spoken for… by me !

Jenny - Reply
11-1
10:41
pm

I want pear honey and pear leather. yummmmmmmmmy!

tabbimama - Reply
11-2
12:59
pm

Suzanne..you far too much time on your hands..the opposite of what I thought..you need to be baking more pies and bread and this and that.. LOL Just kidding..that was cute!

Donna - Reply
11-3
6:51
am

Oh my gosh that was hilarious! I found your blog through the SAM-e website and I’m loving it

Anne P - Reply
11-3
7:58
am

You are just too funny, I hope it clears up some so you can go outside and play.

JeannieB - Reply