Dwarf pears for zone 5

 I'm more interested in good tasting pears than high-yields or ease of
cultivation.

That said--- I'm in Zone 5 in NY & I think I'd like a couple dwarf
pears for the back yard.   I buy a dozen pears every year and am lucky
to get 4 good ones.        

I ought to do a little better fighting squirrels in the back yard.
[and I'm already fighting them for veggies, peaches and cherries so
that won't be a new battle]

What variety would you go for?     I like to eat a *good* pear out of
hand-- but I've really gotten a taste for pears with a little
gorgonzola and honey dressing.

If there is a good canning pear, I might be tempted to can some for
winter.

Jim

 wrote:


My advice is always to check with your local extension office for
information geared to your area.  There is one in almost every county
in the US.

http://www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension/index.html

--
USA
North Carolina Foothills
USDA Zone 7a

 

Yeah-- but my chances of finding someone who says - 'You've gotta try
these pears' is a lot slimmer than running into someone on Usenet that
has eaten an outstanding pear.

Once I get a couple names to go on, I might give my extension a call.
Though, truth be told, they sure aren't what they were in the 70's.

Jim

 

 Look into seckle pears.

http://www.oregonlive.com/foodday/index.ssf/2009/10/seckel_pears_are_deli
cately_sw.html

--
Bill  S. Jersey USA zone 5 shade garden

"The best fertilizer is the gardener's shadow." - Anon

 

Seckle pears aka "candy pears" are quite small, but the tree bears a huge
crop.They are many times sweeter than the ordinary pear. When dried they are
very much like candy. Comice and Moonglow are very good for "out of hand"
eating. Easiest to grow is probably Keiffer, but they tend to be gritty and
difficult to eat, very good cider pear though. Bartlett is always a good
eating pear but is disease prone. Anjou and Bosc are European imports that
are good as well. The secret to a good pear is in the picking. Around here,
the old-timers say to pick the whole crop when the first ripe one falls.
Allow them to slowly ripen in a cool cellar. A tree ripened pear is not a
good thing.
HTH,
Steve