peaches

[gardenmommy]

We picked peaches today. My mom and I picked about 2 1/2 bushels. They are really good! I am going to freeze most, saving some for jam and eating. The lady had a pear tree, and let us pick as many as we wanted free of charge.

Next week, we're going back to pick some apples.

I am feeling very blessed to have access to so much produce at such reasonable cost.

[menudo]

Funny story:

My first job was at a Peach Orchard (non organic-who knows what I was exposed too! Owner died of cancer the next year...) Anyway, my mom kept asking for peaches, so one day they had alot of "unnacceptable" peaches (ie. not "peach" shape-many may not know but there are TWO common shapes for peaches and well the not acceptable one looks like...well umm...private! lol No lie!) ANYWAY, I brought her home 240 pounds of peaches! I remember the weight so well. She made peach everything and could not beg enough people to take them!

[cobluegirl]

that is funny Bebsho2.....yummy...My favorite pie is peach!!

I have a friend getting me some peaches and nectarines next week. I am so excited..I hope I can afford them...hehe

[gardenmommy]

hahaha! That's good! Yes, I will make jam (some to keep, some to give away), freeze lots of them (smoothies, peach cobbler, fruit salad), and maybe some peach butter. I tried making peach butter a few years ago, and didn't like how it turned out. I may try it again.

Our orchard isn't organic, but they are very low spray. In some orchards, you see a large brown swath in which all the trees stand (that way they don't have to mow around the trees, just inbetween them). Ours doesn't do that. They leave all the milkweed plants for the butterflies and bees (pollination), they mow between the trees, and leave the grass and weeds long around the trees.

It's a family farm; the family has been on this farm for at least two or three generations. We like to support them as much as possible.

[cobluegirl]

I got my peaches and apples today....they were out of nectarines..I am a little disappointed that the peaches aren't ripe....grrr..

the apples are great though.

[gardenmommy]

We picked ours, and they are pretty firm; they are very good to eat, but really hard to peel. The Dc can't seem to stop eating them! I started freezing them yesterday, but decided to finish it after the peaches have set for a few more days. They continue to ripen, and are much easier to peel when they are softer.

Our orchard is starting to pick apples next week, paula reds, I think. I'll probably go get a 1/2 bushel, because everyone is itching for some fresh apples. We haven't had apples since the end of April, because I refuse to pay for apples that have been in cold storage all winter and have a shelf life of a week. So, needless to say, everyone is really excited about the new crop apples.