If you think picking pears hurts, you should try raking blueberries. Crippling. I did it one summer as a teenager ... it was NOT worth the money. Nor was picking fields of turnips from very cold Canadian soil. Farmers earn every penny and then some. :-)
Now you have a pile of pears to work with ... let the experimenting begin. For non-vegans, pork chops and pears are delicious.
Quill
Oooh, I'm getting exhausted just thinking about it. Seriously, any hard labor like that is a humbling experience. That's part of why I'm a maniac at the farmers market and throw my budget down the toilet every week--I want to support all of them for the hard work that they do! Though I benefit from the best damn produce to experiment with in the kitchen, so it is a true win-win. ;)