The pear is an important part of Lake County's agricultural history, and it will be celebrated this weekend in Kelseyville. Photo by Elizabeth Larson.

KELSEYVILLE – Monday, Sept. 22 marked the first official day of autumn. The air is a little crisper, the nights a lot cooler. Football announcers can be heard on Friday night and leaves at the top of the trees are starting to turn red and orange around the lake.

Another sure sign of autumn comes in the form of the 16th Annual Kelseyville Pear Festival, which takes place this Saturday, Sept. 27, in downtown Kelseyville.

This quintessential Kelseyville event lets us know that summer has come to an end and brings us nicely into the season of harvest.

The family-oriented event celebrates Kelseyville’s agricultural heritage through entertainment and education. The festival is focused around the pear because Lake County has been known for its high-quality pears for decades.

Picturesque downtown Kelseyville is the perfect setting to showcase everything pear. Kelseyville used to be known at “The Pear Capital of the World” and many of its oldest families have continued to produce some of the best pears in California. While we see more vineyards that produce great wines popping up around Lake County, it is important to remember that the pear orchards are a huge part of Kelseyville’s heritage.

“The Kelseyville Pear Festival celebrates the agricultural heritage of Kelseyville,” said event Chair Marilyn Holdenried.

Looking a bit into the history of the pear in relation to Kelseyville, we learn that Thomas Porteus is credited for planting the first commercial pear orchard in Lake County with four acres in Big Valley, at the base of Mt. Konocti.

Orchards began to be planted in the late 1800s and by 1919, according to the agricultural commissioner's records, there were 700 acres of pears in the county. Pear acreage has fluctuated over the years, with a high of 8,000 acres to a low of 2,000.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s Lake County was made up of many small landowners who grew mostly grain crops, but the price per acre that pear farmers were receiving convinced many to also plant orchards. According to agricultural records, most of the plantings took place between 1910 and 1920.

Until the mid-1920s, the pear crop was dried here in Lake County and then hauled out to packing sheds outside of the county, but in the early 1920s, the California Packing Co. was established and at the time operated the largest dry yard in the world in Kelseyville. The Adobe Creek Packing Co. now stands at that location.

Today, approximately 2,100 acres of pears are grown in Lake County and each pear is packed with nutrition. According to USA Pear, fresh pears are loaded with dietary fiber, much of it in the form of pectin. In addition, fresh pears are a good source of vitamin C and potassium, and have no cholesterol, sodium or fat. Few natural foods provide this much fiber and nutrition for only 100 calories, making Lake County Mountain Pears a very healthy choice.

The Pear Festival began in 1993 and was co-chaired by Holdenried and Tootsie Huggins. According to Holdnried, it drew approximately 1,500 attendees in its first year and is expected to see anywhere from 8,000 to 10,000 people this Saturday.

Holdenried has chaired the festival every year but two in its 16-year history and it is her goal to add new events every year to keep things fresh and exciting.

This year brings “Pears on Parade,” where members of Konocti Art Society have created 20 pear sculptures that have been on display in Kelseyville businesses this month. These sculptures will be raffled off during the festival at WestAmerica Bank at 3:30 p.m., with the proceeds going to the Kelseyville Business Association for a beautification project.

Another addition to the 2008 Pear Festival is the partnership with various restaurants throughout Kelseyville and Cobb. Rob Roy Golf Club, the Saw Shop, Marcie’s Brick Grill, Focused on Wine, Live Oak Grill, Main Street Bakery and Murphy’s on the Green all feature an item focused on the pear.

Tony Borders, puppeteer, is yet another addition to the festival this year. He will be performing two shows at 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian Chrurch (www.tonyborders.com).

There is undoubtedly something for everyone at the Kelseyville Pear Festival. In addition to the new events, the festival will kick off with a parade that includes Kelseyville High School’s homecoming floats as well as a quilt show, an art show, live music, a pear packing contest, antique tractors and engines, Oops Ranch farm animals, cooking demonstrations, a performance by Konocti Kloggers and Clear Lake Clickkers, various vendors and plenty of pear foods.

The Pear Festival also boasts the Pear Pavilion, the place to learn about everything pear. There you will find delicious pear offerings from jams to pies presented by Adobe Creek Packing, the California Women for Agriculture, Napa’s A Perfect Pear, Seely’s Farm Stand and The Purple Pear. There will also be cooking demonstrations utilizing the pear by three local chefs.

A new addition to the Pear Pavilion is the Little Theater where two new videos will be shown on the big screen. One will showcase the Lake County pear industry and the other will focus on the history of the Kelseyville Pear Festival.

Come down to the 16th Annual Kelseyville Pear Festival this Saturday to celebrate one of Kelseyville’s oldest industries and bring in the fall season with pear foods and gifts, art, music, contests, and more. Learn about the pear and what it means to the beautiful town of Kelseyville and its proud inhabitants.

For more information, including a schedule of events, please visit www.pearfestival.com.

E-mail Caitlin Andrus at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Valley farm.

October on the farm also will feature an Antique Tractor Show, Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off, and Roctoberfest - a day of live music, hay rides and more.

With corn stalks towering overhead, children and adults alike can wander along paths designed to twist and turn through the rustling corn field, which can be confusing enough during the day, but for those who want an extra-spooky experience – the maze is also open at night – so the adventurous are asked to bring a flashlight.

The corn maze is open at 10 a.m. daily throughout the month of October, closing Sunday through Thursday at 6 p.m., and open late (until 10 p.m.) Friday and Saturday nights. School field trips are available in October by appointment. Bring flashlights for wandering the maze in the evening.

For adults who would like to experience the maze without threat of monsters jumping out of the corn, Thursday, Oct. 16, from 5 to 10 p.m. is for adults only. Just two nights after the full moon, the night-time sky will be very bright that evening, but bringing a flashlight is still recommended.

Families also can visit the Antique Tractor Show Oct. 18 and 19, the Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off and enjoy barbecue both days. The father and son team of Greg and Evan Dills, who have worked together to restore tractors, gas engines, and farm implements for years, will be on hand to talk about the machines.

The Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off, where farmers of all ages bring their massive pumpkins to The Sutton Family Farms, begins at 1 p.m. on Oct. 18.

Celebrate Roctoberfest on Saturday, Oct. 25, with live local bands playing from 10 a.m. until dusk. Barbecue also will be available.

Admission to the corn maze is $6 per person, ages 4 and under are free. Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 1 through 31.

Admission is free to the Antique Tractor Show and Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off Oct. 18 and 19. Carriage hay rides also will be available during the month; call for dates and times.

The Sutton Family Farm operates a produce stand, country store, and weekend open-air market selling specialty foods, local crafts, gifts, Lake and Mendocino county gift baskets, salsa, jams, mustards, pepper jelly, a fine assortment of seasonal fruits and veggies from their farm and others in the area. The gift shop and produce stand is open daily until 5 p.m. through December.

The Sutton Family Farm is located at 2405 Scotts Valley Road, Lakeport. For more information, call 707-263-6277.

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MIDDLETOWN – Langtry Estate and Vineyards will host its annual Lucy Grape Stomp on Saturday, Sept. 20.

The event will take place from noon to 4 p.m. at Langtry Estate and Vineyards 21000 Butts Canyon Road.

The event will include the grape stomping contest, a Lucille Ball look-a-like contest, a barbecue lunch and a live rock and roll band.

The stomp rules are as follows:

1. You can enter as a single stomper (one person) or double stomper (two people). The person/team collecting the most juice is the winner. First, second and third place prizes.

2. Stompers must use bare feet.

3. The juice will be measured by the selected judges.

4. All stompers are required to sign the grape stomp waiver release.

5. Participants clothing is likely to become soiled and they recommend bringing a change of clothes. Bells and whistles are optional to encourage and help promote “team spirit.”

The cost is $50 per person, $40 per person for wine club members and designated drivers.

The event is reservations only; please RSVP by Sept. 17. Call 707-987-2385, Extension 203 or

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The rest of the pear harvest should be completed by week's end, with pears like this one in Don and Margaret Eutenier's Kelseyville orchard soon to make their way to area packing houses. Photo by Elizabeth Larson.

KELSEYVILLE – Lake County's pear harvest is wrapping up this week, as growers bring the last of their crop in from the orchards.

The state's pear season began early in July, with the River District – which includes Sacramento, San Joaquin, Yolo, Yuba and Sutter counties – harvested first, said Chris Zanobini, executive director of the California Pear Advisory Board.

Lake and Mendocino counties, which are known as the “Mountain District,” follow the River District by several weeks, he said.

Zanobini said Lake harvests the last of any pear-growing area. “They definitely save the best for last,” he said, adding that the fresh market fruit with the most consistent and best quality comes from Lake County.

This year, the state is expected to produce 186,000 tons of pears, said Zanobini, which is down from 205,000 tons last year.

That's largely due to a severe freeze that hit in late April. While areas in the Sacramento Valley also were affected, Zanobini said it was the worst in Lake. “Lake County took the brunt of that, there's no doubt about it.”

The River District is estimated to produce 132,000 tons, with Lake and Mendocino counties bringing in 54,000 tons, Zanobini said.

Despite the April frost, fruit quality is looking good, said Zanobini.

Rachel Elkins, University of California Cooperative Extension pomology advisor for Lake and Mendocino counties, agrees with Zanobini on the fruit quality, saying the fruit has excellent sugar content.

Although the jury is still out whether or not tonnage will be down much – estimates earlier this year had suggested as high as a 40-percent loss – Elkins said the crop this year is characterized by larger fruit size, which can help make up for any quantity loss.

There are, however, some orchards that won't be picked at all because of frost damage, said Elkins.

There also are concerns about canneries cutting back on fruit purchases, said Elkins. That's particularly difficult in a year when a lot of the fruit has markings that make it less desirable for the fresh market but perfect for canning.

She said she expects harvest to finish up by the end of this week. With the fruit ripening at a rapid pace, it's critical to get it off the trees.

The picking itself has gone smoothly this year, said Elkins, with no serious labor issues – such as those which left tons of pears unpicked in 2006.

Meanwhile, efforts are under way to promote the local pear industry, which has dwindled to two packing houses and smaller acreage due to farming and economic challenges.

Earlier this month, the Board of Supervisors approved a contract between the county and the Lake County Pear Association.

The contract provides $10,000 to complete two versions of a video that promotes Lake County's pear industry, and also supports placing advertisements promoting locally grown pears in trade publications.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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County crews spent Monday painting over graffiti found on Sunday at the Lakeport Chamber of Commerce and other buildings around the city. Photo courtesy of Lake County Public Services Department.

LAKEPORT – Several locations around Lakeport were hit by a rash of graffiti that officials believe was the result of taggings carried out over the weekend.

Lt. Brad Rasmussen of the Lakeport Police Department said the graffiti was found at the Lakeport Chamber of Commerce, the Carnegie Library, on a downtown park entrance sign, on a building at the Fifth Street boat launch, and on two commercial properties – one on Park Street and at Riviera Computers on Lakeport Boulevard.

He said the graffiti, which was laced with profanity and mentioned gang names, was found shortly before 10 a.m. Sunday on the south side of the Chamber of Commerce building by a Lakeport Police officer.

The graffiti referenced the Windsor Town Surenos, from Sonoma County, Rasmussen said. It's believed the tags around town were placed either Saturday night or early Sunday morning.

Rasmussen said although it can be difficult, it's possible to track the graffiti back to its source, especially if police can identify members of the gang locally.

“We've got some leads,” he said, adding that police have a piece of evidence that may have fingerprints on it.

Rasmussen had no firm cost estimate to repair the damage, but said it could cost at least $1,000, which he said is likely a low estimate.

County Public Services Director Kim Clymire said the building housing the chamber is county owned on city property. He said his buildings and grounds staff spent Monday painting over the graffiti.

Rasmussen said the city hasn't had any other big gang-related issues recently. He said many of the city's main gang members are in custody, several of them as a result of a March 2007 assault near Library Park in which a young Clearlake Oaks man was stabbed.

Anyone with information about the graffiti should call the Lakeport Police Department, 263-5491. 

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 12, at the Board of Supervisors chambers at the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport. TV Channel 8 will broadcast the meeting live.

Among the agenda items will be the presentation by Agricultural Commissioner Steve Hajik of the 2007 Crop Report at 9:30 a.m.

At 1:30 p.m., the board will hear a presentation of proposed Rent Stability Lease Agreement from the Lake County Mobile Home Task Force; and (b) Discussion/consideration regarding the implementation of the Rent Stability Lease Agreement.

Items on the Tuesday agenda include the following.

Timed items:

– 9:10 a.m.: Presentation of Proclamations commending Kevin Todd and Keith Todd on achieving the rank of Eagle Scout.

– 9:15 a.m. Public hearing: Consideration of proposed resolution approving resolutions and capital fire facility and equipment plans submitted by Lake County fire agencies and updating the Lake County Capital Fire Facility and Equipment Plan.

– 10 a.m.: Presentation by Marine Patrol on the refurbishing of two sheriff’s patrol boats.

– 10:15 a.m.: Discussion/consideration regarding development of a Tactical Interoperable Communications Plan.

– 10:30 a.m.: Public hearing: Consideration of recommendation to reallocate $511,394 of Community Development Block Grant Program Income funds from sidewalk projects to the Business Expansion Revolving Loan Account (continued from May 6, June 3 and July 15).

– 11:15 a.m.: Public hearing: Appeal of Ronald Jacobs of the Planning Commission’s decision to grant the appeal of Erik Thorsen, Trustee, Edgar F. Thorsen Trust, regarding the issuance of a Lakebed Encroachment Permit and supporting California Environmental Quality Act Notice of Exemption to Ronald Jacobs for the construction of pier/covered deck/gangway/suspended platform/covered electric boat lift; project located at 1925 Westlake Drive.

– 1:15 p.m.: (a) Update on the State Air Resources Board Air Toxics Control Measure for Stationary Agricultural C1 Diesel Engines greater than 50 horsepower; and (b) Discussion/consideration of implementing an approach to the measure.

Untimed items:

– (a) Update regarding energy sustainability efforts in Lake County; and (b) Consideration of request for support of initiating broader energy sustainability and local self-reliance efforts in Lake County.

– Consideration of request to approve the Amendment to the Drug Enforcement Administration Marijuana Eradication (DEA) (DEA will pay Lake County an additional $25,000 to defray costs relating to the eradication and suppression of illicit marijuana), and authorize the sheriff to sign the letter of agreement and workplace certifications.

Following the public portion of the meeting the board will meet in closed session to discuss labor negotiations and one case of potential litigation.

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