Extra pears put to good use, thanks Nelson Family!

Here at the Gardens Project we'd like to extend a heartfelt THANK YOU to the Nelson Ranch for letting the public harvest pears that otherwise would have gone to waste. It was a big step in the right direction for creating a stronger sense of community and supporting a local food system.

More than 1,200lbs of pears were harvested in just one weekend. Gleaners included individual community members and families, as well as elementary, middle, and pre-school staff who were able to incorporate fresh pear treats and tastings into their lesson plans the following week.

At Calpella School the pears were used to teach the nutritional value of fruit and to encourage the students to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables in their daily diet. At Head Start, this pear harvest coincided with “Pear Week” in the Food For Thought lessons, which gave pre-schoolers a chanceto taste and compare varieties of pears, make pear sauce, pear bread, and dehydrate the remaining pear.

Whether pickled, dried, baked, or juiced, the pears were greatly enjoyed by community members of all ages. We have heard nothing but appreciative and positive remarks about having the opportunity to glean the pears and everyone hopes to be able to do it again in the future.

Thanks again Nelson Family Vineyards for sharing your pears with the community!