Looking for a fun way to spend the day and something a little off the beaten path, my mom and I ventured down to Evergreen Farm in Hamilton Township, N.J., to pick Korean pears.

Having never heard of this type of pear before, we figured it would be something new to try as an autumn activity.

One of the employees at the farm told us this fruit is classified under an umbrella variety of Asian pears and are peculiarly described as a sand pear. They look almost like a golden delicious apple, but heavier and about the size of a softball. We were able to sample this sweet pear variety before picking — as soon as the pear hit my tongue, I immediately understood the sand reference. The texture is a little crisper than an ordinary pear with a curious crunch that feels grainy, almost like there is sand in the fruit. It’s surprisingly pleasant, and the sweetness of the fruit makes up for the texture.

Once we walked to the pick-your-own section we saw the trees cascading in tunnel-like structures. These tree tunnels were as beautiful as they were convenient.

We found it easy to reach the pears on higher branches and occasionally needed a short ladder provided by the farm.

In the end, we made off with a few pounds of pears and plan on roasting them, adding them to salads and enjoying them raw. The pears themselves cost about $3 a pound, with an additional $5 fee per-person to pick your own. There is also a small market that sells other fruit varieties grown on the farm including fresh dates, various apple varieties, dried beans and huge bags full of Korean grapes.

— Amanda Ekstrand, intern