Time To Party Down, Pear-Pickers

There may be fewer acres and trees to pick from than there once was around these parts but if it's a symbolic local harvest you're looking for this weekend, stop by Canyon Road and Camino Pablo and pick a few Moraga pears.

The annual event, sponsored by the Moraga Park Foundation and held between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Aug. 4 and Aug. 5, is a largely symbolic celebration of the town's pear-ish past and dovetails into donations to the Food Bank of Contra Costa and the town's Pear Festival in September.

Of course, if you happen to make off with a crate or two of los perales, that's fine, too. Local chefs turn the golden fruit into pies and other baked goods for judging in the -- which makes all the hard work in harvesting the fruit that much more palatable.

If you feel like picking over the weekend, put on some boots or sturdy shoes and head over to Canyon Road and Camino Pablo. Picking tools will be provided.