Pickin' Pawpaws
Greetings!
Everyone’s favorite fruit is back this week, about a week earlier than expected. We’re anticipating an incredible harvest this year; the trees are absolutely loaded with fruit and our youngest trees are beginning to bear fruit for the first time. The fruits on the young trees are large and downright gorgeous. It’s a thrill to finally harvest from the trees we planted in 2020.
Olivia and Amelia showing off a small portion of Wednesday's harvest.
For the uninitiated, here’s the short and sweet introduction to pawpaws.
Pawpaws are North America’s largest native fruit, and their flavor is often described as being like a cross between a mango and a banana. The pawpaw’s native range stretches from Texas to Ontario, and they grow prolifically along rivers in our region. Pawpaws (asimina triloba) are closely related to the cherimoya, custard apple, and soursop.
The fruits range in size from quite small, 3 inch fruits from wild trees to much larger half pound (or even bigger) fruits, found more often in the cultivated pawpaw varieties. The flesh is yellow, and the fruits contain several large seeds. The fruits are ripe when they’re very soft, like an overripe avocado. Some people even prefer to eat them until they’re totally brown and mushy, which is the stage at which the sugars really caramelize. When ripe, they’re certainly not a sexy fruit, but we think they taste pretty good!
Pawpaw season lasts for just about a month, and during that month we are out harvesting every single day. To harvest our pawpaws, we paw every paw, giving nearly every fruit within reach a gentle touch to check for ripeness. It’s a common misconception that pawpaws don’t continue to ripen once harvested. If you pick them when they’re too firm they won’t ripen up, but once they have some give to them you can leave them to ripen on your counter.
2024 Pawpaw Popup Schedule
Pawpaws are ripening up early this year, so until the popups start you’ll be able to find them at our stand at the Baltimore Farmers Market. Because they’re so ahead of schedule, we can’t guarantee how long the season will last, but we know we’re on track for our best harvest in years!
Takoma Park Farmers Market - Sept 15
Dupont Circle Farmers Market, DC - Sept 22, Sept 29
Even more pawpaws
We’re at the Baltimore Farmers Market this Sunday, September 1st from 7:00- 12:00!
We’re planning to bring bouquets, hydrangeas, celosia, dahlias, eucalyptus, salvia, and Two Boots merch. And, obviously, we will have pawpaws!
And, of course, the Build Your Own Bouquet bar is back!
Thanks for reading, and we hope to see you at the market!
Amelia & The Two Boots crew
Henry Eilers, everyone's favorite rudbeckia
Harry on vacation.