People have been eating pears for 4,000 years, and the United States is the 3rd-largest pear producer in the world. The volcanic soils and climate in Cascade Farmlands are ideal for growing pears, and the upper Wenatchee Valley is the world's largest grower of premium organic pears.
Most grocery stores have 2-5 kinds of pears. But in the Cascade Farmlands, growers grow and harvest many more varieties, including Bartlett, Red Bartlett, Anjou, Red Anjou, Flemish, Concord, Asian, and Bosc. One of the smallest pears in the world is also one of the sweetest - the Seckel is the size of a golf ball, but crisp, juicy, and delicious!
Did you know: The best way to tell if a pear is ripe is to check the neck. If it gives a little, it’s ripe.
Cache location: The cache is next to a duck pond in a 10-acre Anjou and Bartlett orchard, with the permission of the landowner. You can drive up and park next to the pond, but please don't go into the orchards.
This cache was originally part of the 2016-18 Cascade Farmlands GeoRomp, a 12-cache series that showcased the agriculture, recreation, and scenery of north-central Washington, with pathtag prizes for finishers. Each cache had a different theme and highlighted a different community: Leavenworth, Plain, Peshastin, Cashmere, Wenatchee, East Wenatchee, Entiat, Chelan, Manson, Orondo, Waterville, and Quincy.