California Apple Pears are the Harvest of the Month

Crisp, cold apple pears are the hot item on the menu this month at lunch.

Grown by the Jackson family at their Kingsburg Orchards in the San Joaquin Valley, the golden goodness is sometimes known as Asian pears, Chinese pears or Japanese pears. The pears are featured as the district's Harvest of the Month on selected days in school cafeterias.

Just as the name implies, the taste of an apple pear is a mix of apple and pear: a little less sweet than a pear and a little less sour than an apple, but crunchy, juicy and delicious. They are best when allowed to ripen on the tree. Apple pears are an excellent source of fiber and a good source of Vitamins C, B1, B2, B3, K, folate and potassium. On Kingsburg Orchards 9,500 acres, the Jackson family grows more than 200 varieties of fresh fruit.

The Harvest of the Month is part of the Farm to School program. Funded through a federal grant and in cooperation with the County of San Diego and other local agencies, the connects schools (K-12) and local farms with the objectives of serving healthy meals in school cafeterias, improving student nutrition, providing agriculture, health and nutrition education opportunities, and supporting local and regional farmers.

For more information about the Harvest of the Month program contact Vanessa Zajfen at vzajfen@sandi.net.