Thoughts About Peaches

-

I am a peach snob. I admit it. I can only eat our fabulous, fresh, tree ripened peaches. Juicy, sweet. I usually eat the ones with a little bruise on them that don’t sell. I cut one open and eat the whole thing. It is because I am a peach snob that we do not carry other peaches in the farm market once our peach season is done. It’s why I say, “eat local.”
But let’s face it. It’s a long time between the end of September (the end of peach season) and the end of June (when peaches start again). Nine months in fact. Sometimes the longing for a taste of summer is overwhelming.  A South American peach in February just does not come close to what I want.

And hurray, there is a solution! Our good friend, Rebecca, cans a lot of peaches for us. A lot.  And she uses hardly any sugar, just enough to keep the peaches from discoloring. They are delicious. Amazing. Stunning.  They taste like summer peaches because they are summer peaches. And they taste like peaches, not sugar.  There are some peaches in a light honey-syrup, for those avoiding sugar. And we love these peaches, too.


A big reason why we revere our peaches is the place they hold in our family history. Peaches symbolize the resilience of my grandparents in overcoming disaster.
Here is how my grandfather, John Webster described it:

“In 1934, Rachel and I walked out into the big orchard, found one Belle of Georgia peach—we broke it in half and ate the entire crop. 1935 was almost as bad—same low temperature (-15 degrees) that winter, but a very few baskets of peaches. 1936 I had worked hard bringing the orchard back and had a splendid crop in prospect. We had a 3-day hurricane and lost the fruit. Only a few remained on the trees and the wind had blown all the peach fuzz off. …Three years in a row was a bitter pill for us. We had three small children at the time.”

Fortunately, John and Rachel Webster persevered, survived, and thrived. I am fortunate that I was able to help my grandfather plant more peach trees.

Peaches hold a special place in my heart. And in my taste buds. This is what helps me get through winter--the promise of another summer and the promise of more peaches.  Are you ready for a taste of summer? We have it right here!




www.HighlandOrchardsFarmMarket.com



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

5 More Tips & Strategies for Winter Growing, Part II

-
Image
 Alright, dedicated grower, here are some more tips on growing for winter. Remember, patience is key! As you already know, every growing area has its own micro-climate and ecosystem, so what works in one place may not grow in another. We struggle with our clay soil, and add compost on a regular basis. You may have a different kind of soil with different needs. Swiss Chard 1)    What grows best in the winter : cold hardy plants! Many of the herbs, leafy greens, root crops, some of the brassicas. Here is a partial list; depending on your particular circumstances, you will add or subtract from the list:  Parsley, cilantro, sorrel, romaine, green or red leaf lettuce, kale, chard, collards, mizuna, mustard greens, sprouting broccoli and cauliflower, spinach, beets, carrots, radishes, daikon, turnips, rutabagas, scallions, brussel sprouts, cabbage. 2)      Growing times —even with heat, everything takes a little longer. About 25-40% longer. Without heat, it takes about 3x longer. If you ar
Read more

Our Love Affair with Farmers Markets

-
Image
We have a long history of going to Farmers Markets, primarily the King Street Farmers Market in Wilmington, Delaware. Generations of Websters, Connells, Talleys, and Rotthouses have loaded produce into wagons or trucks to take to the market 2 or more times each week. John Webster took truckloads of produce in season. A truckload of cabbage: in the Depression, everyone made soup. A load of lilacs in May—and those sold, also. Peaches in the summer, apples in the fall. Rachel Webster made sausage and cottage cheese, as she had learned from her mother. Because farmers believe in utilizing available labor, their own children, the Webster girls went to market with their parents. Just as John had gone to market with his father, John Sr.   And John Sr. remembered going to market with his father, Isaac. And John Sr. told stories of Isaac falling asleep in the back of the wagon in the early morning hours as he went to market with his father, Clark (1786-1871) in the 1820s. It took a lot long
Read more

About edible flowers:

-
Image
Herb flowers are from herbs like lavender, basil, mint, and thyme that can be eaten just like the rest of the plant. Ornamental flowers usually follow the petal-only rule : most come from plants where the colorful petals are the only edible part of the plant. Some plants are exceptions. Be absolutely certain before trying other parts of the plant. 5 Important Things: 1. Always know what flowers are edible before you eat them- be absolutely sure of the plant. If you’re unsure, steer clear! Safety comes first! Some flowers are not edible and can make people very sick. 2. Know the plant’s surroundings. A beautiful stand of edible flowers growing by the roadside may look delicious, but plants are very good at taking up toxins from the soil, rain, and air and storing them in their roots, stems, leaves, and flowers.  They clean the environment but may become harmful for people to eat. 3.  Similarly make sure you know that the place where you pick edible flowers was not sprayed wit
Read more