Asian Pear Wine Has Roots in Coopersburg Area

They say good things come in pairs, and pears.

Such has been the case for a Coopersburg area couple, Joel Spira and wife, Ruth Rodale Spira, who in 1961 paired up to found Lutron Electronics, famous for the dimmer light switch, and topped it off in 1970 by bringing gourmet Asian pears to the United States.

Joel is an engineer who graduated with a physics degree from Purdue University. Ruth, daughter of Rodale Inc. founder J.I. Rodale, graduated from Wellesley College with a degree in botany and has used that expertise. They have a Coopersburg mailing address but actually reside in Springfield Township (Bucks County).

Subarashii Kudamono LP (meaning “wonderful fruit‘’) was founded by the couple and has become one of the largest Asian pear producers in the country, with a small orchard in the Coopersburg area and larger ones in Germansville and Kempton. While successful in the fruit business, Subarashii has recently been a player in the wine industry.

Subarashii Kudamono celebrated the start of the harvest season at the Promenade Shops this September, when the gourmet Asian pears were paired with samples of the company’s award-winning Asian pear wine. Of course, the company is offering a pair of wines -- Asian Pear Wine and its fortified Asian Pear Dessert Wine.

Holly Harter, director of marketing, and James Ceban, assistant orchard leader, were recently paired in an interview on the farms about the success of Subarashii, unveiling some of the secrets of the Asian fruit. Asked about the size of the operation, they said it’s “hundreds of acres, thousands of trees.“

Q: How did an electronics genius end up in the fruit business?

Harter: It was 1970 in Japan when Mr. Spira and Lutron people were buying parts over there. They were served an Asian pear at a dinner party--a big one. It was this beautiful, large, juicy pear. He never had one before. He couldn‘t find one when he came home to Pennsylvania. The scientists and engineers decided to plant their own. They brought trees back from Japan and one tree led to another. They planted them in their back yard in Coopersburg. About an acre. They’re still there.

Q: How did the company grow?

Harter: They bought a piece of property north of Allentown, where they grafted and planted. Then it was planted in the new farm in the mid-1980s. The latest two properties are here in the Kempton area. They are production farms and not open to the public for tourism.

Q: Is more growth planned?

Harter: There’s talk about it. They’d like to be the largest Asian pear grower in the country. We’re No. 3 in terms of acreage.

Q: What would attract a farmer to this work?

Ceban: I came to this business three years ago. I started out at Portametals, working in a nursery. Then I came across Subarashii. It was something different. I wanted to learn different things and bring to the table in the past 34 years that I had. So that’s why I came here.

Q: Do people think you’re working out of Japan when you say the name of the company?

Ceban: Yes, they do. Then when you tell them you’re associated with Lutron, it’s another thing.

Q: What does it take to grow a piece of fruit like this?

Ceban: Water, a good pest control program and timing is everything.

Q: What is the foil on top of the trees?

Ceban: That is actually for bird control. Birds will come along. They love the fruit because it is so sweet. They peck the fruit and do a lot of damage. We also have [radio] bird scares, and we move them around every two weeks. We are only targeting blackbirds. One thing we don’t want to scare off is hawks. They are actually our friends. They will do harm to blackbirds and others, because that‘s their prey.

Q: I also noticed several dogs loose in the fields. What are they for?

Ceban: They are mostly huskies, and they’re a help on rodent and deer control. Rodent and deer will go right for the pears. They do a lot of damage.

We keep the orchards mowed, which cuts down on a lot of pests living in the tall brush.

Q: You also have bees?

Ceban: Once we stop pruning the trees, then we get the bees all set for pollination. We have Japanese Horn Faced Bees, Mason Bees and European honey bees. We get them set and placed out.

Q: How did you learn this, considering the crop is Japanese?

Harter: Our research and tests. They fine-tuned a plan.

Ceban: It is still trial and error. Nothing is definite with Asian pears. There is still not that much known about them in the aspects of growing. It’s not like growing ornamentals and you could go to a book and find information on growing them. You will not find that in a book about Asian pears.
Trial and errors. You go to classes on apples or other type of pears and you try to form some plan.

Q: When do you know when to pick them?

Harter: They’re the subjective point of view. The look, the flavor. There’s lots of snacking in the orchard. And there’s a lot of tasting. I supervise the team that tastes the fruit. Sugar, starch, all kinds of factors.

Q: How many people you employ to pick?

Ceban: Not a high number, maybe 10 to 15.


Q: How does winemaking fit into your plans?

Harter: In the fall, when we‘re harvesting, Jim and the packhouse team are sorting the fruit. Some might be marked up with branch rub or a little dig. The remaining fruit will be made into wine and spirits, which we’ll have made. Table wine, desert wine, brandy which is available…

Q: Who makes the wine?

Harter: Round Barn Winery in Livonia, Mich., by a family of winemakers. We take our pear juice out to them and they do their magic. Back in Pennsylvania, we sell it to the Liquor Control Board.
Our brandy is made by Westford Hills Distillers in Connecticut.

Q: Where can the fruit and wine be found?

Harter: Fruit can be ordered from our website: wonderfulfruit.com. Or call at 610-282-7588. We take orders by phone, fax, mail or internet.

If in Eastern Pa., you  often can find our fresh pears at Wegmans. In New York City, you can find them at top hotels and restaurants and grocers.

The wine can be at any of the 70 Premium Stores in Pa. Brandy is a special order here in Pennsylvania. Call the special 800 number. In Connecticut, there is a list of wine and spirit shops. We’re very new in Virginia and D.C. we’re very new, having a handful of stores.