Pears will ripen after picking by keeping them on a counter in a bowl or a paper sack. Choose pears that are fresh looking, without bruises or other bad spots. Check the ripeness by squeezing gently near the stem, they should give in to light pressure. You don't want them to be mushy, or too soft near the middle of the pear though. Once ripe, store them in the refrigerator, but away from onions and potatoes.

You can also freeze your pear harvest. Select pears that are well ripened and firm, but not under ripe. Wash the pears in cold water, peel, cut in halves or quarters and remove cores. Heat the pears in a syrup of 1 cup water to 2/3 cup water-this is called a 40-percent syrup- for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain the pears well and cool. When cool, pack them into freezer containers and cover with cold 40-percent syrup. You can also add a 3/4 teaspoon of ascorbic acid to a quart of cold syrup. When packing, leave 1/2 inch of headspace. Seal, label and freeze the containers.

Pear Honey

Combine all ingredients, and cook in a heavy pan, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until it reaches a spreading consistency. Pour into hot sterilized jars and seal. Makes 2 1/2 pints.

Ginger Pear Pie

Combine 1/4 cup of the sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, ginger and the salt. Sprinkle this mixture in the pie shell. Peel and core the pears. Slice them thinly and lay the slices over the sugar mixture. Cream butter until light, and add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon flour. Mix in the egg yolks, lemon peel and the juice. Beat mixture until mixed. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold into the lemon mixture. Pour over the pears in the pie shell. Bake pie in a 425 degree oven for 10 minutes, then lower heat to 350 degrees. Bake 30 minutes more. Cool on rack.

Pears With Raspberry Sauce

Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan and boil five minutes. Add the vanilla and pears. Simmer until the pears are tender. Drain and chill. Combine the raspberries with 1 tablespoon sugar. Mix the cornstarch with two tablespoons cold water and combine with the raspberries. Simmer about three minutes and mash the mixture through a sieve. Chill. Spoon the sauce over the pears and sprinkle with crushed nuts if desired.