Ancient Pear Tree - A Ripe Old Age

I'm a pear tree and I'm more than a hundred years old. In a good year I can yield up to 200 kilograms of fruit. Perhaps I shouldn't say so myself, but I'm handsome as well as useful. People like to rest in my shade, and many birds and insects feel at home in my branches.

In former times, my kind were carefully tended by farmers because they knew how healthy our fruit was. For the winter they cooked and preserved our pears in jars or made them into a sweet spread known as Rhenish pear butter.

Today the Haus Bürgel Eco Centre staff look after us. Perhaps that is why our fruit are so juicy! And speaking of juice, pear cider can be distilled to make excellent schnapps.

I'm sad to say that in many places my relatives are considered useless and not cared for in the way they deserve. Many have died and not been replaced. But perhaps you would like to plant one of us in your garden?