Peach Picking Perfection
We’re starting to feel the heat this summer which means one thing- it’s finally peach season at Great Country Farms! Our peach trees are loaded with some of the biggest, juiciest peaches we’ve seen in years at the farm. We want our guests to have the best peach picking experience, so we sat down with Orchard Manager, Andrew Taylor, to get the inside scoop on all things peach as we approach our Peach Fuzztival Weekend July 31- August 1, 7 & 8!
5 Steps to Picking the Perfect Peach
- Determine the plan for your peaches.
Pe
aches can be used in a variety of different ways! Determining your plan for the peaches you pick before you pick them will help you decide how ripe you’ll need them to be. If you plan on enjoying them as soon as you leave the parking lot, you will want to search for a riper, softer, peach. If you’d like to use your peaches further in the future choosing a firmer peach will be a better option for you.
2. Choose your variety.
Once you arrive in the orchards, decide which peaches you’d like to try. Will you pick both white and yellow or will you only stick to one variety? We’ve got the rest covered! Simply check in with a GCF employee and they will be happy to help guide you!
- Yellow vs. White Peaches
At Great Country Farms, we are proud to grow 20 different varieties of peaches. It’s almost hard to believe that there are so many different peaches out there! It might seem overwhelming, When you are picking your perfect peaches, you will see that there are both white and yellow peaches to choose from. People have preferences on which they think could be sweeter based on their palette, but the sweetness is actually more determined by how long they hang on the tree. We agree that both are equally delicious.
- Donut Peaches
If you have little ones in your picking crew or are looking for a less messy peach, a donut peach may be the way to go! Donut peaches are small in size, sweet, and they make an easy, healthy snack! Donut peaches are great for the whole family to enjoy because of their small size and sweet taste. These peaches will be available for u-pick in the coming weeks. Be sure to sign up for our U-pick alerts on our website and to follow it on social media to be notified when these delicious treats are available for picking.
3. Give the perfect twist & pull.
Once you’ve spotted the perfect peach (yay!), gently grab it and pull down, removing it from the tree. Keep it safe in a bag or box from home or provided to you at the U-pick station. Now that you’ve got the hang of it, have fun and pick as many as your heart desires!
4. Store gently to prevent bruising.
We recommend picking peaches toward the end of your visit to avoid adding extra weight to your farm visit if you plan on roaming the play area and visiting our adorable animals. On a hot summer day, it is best to avoid leaving them in your car for a prolonged period of time.
5. Take home and enjoy!
If you can resist eating them all on your drive home, peaches are best stored at room temperature on your counter top until they reach your desired ripeness. If you are looking to keep your peaches longer, you may want to learn how to can or freeze them for later use. If you can’t make it to our orchards this year, visit our farm market from 9AM-5PM daily to purchase fresh picked peaches at your convenience. You don’t want to miss this harvest!
Bonus Tip: Plan your visit for extra family for on the farm and mark your calendar for our Peach Fuzztival (July 31-August 1,7 & 8, 2021). It’s going to be peachy!
