I'm in peach heaven!

[jinman]

Yum! I'm sitting here eating a big bowl of locally grown ripe peaches while typing this thread. Yesterday, I stopped at a local roadside fruit stand. We have these big fruit stands around here that are as big as barns and some with air conditioning. This particular one is my favorite and I've grown to know the folks who farm and run the stand. Well, they are starting to pick peaches and had them for $35 per bushel. Actually, they have them in 1/2 bushel baskets and it's $20 for one and $35 for two.

It turns out that they had only one small basket ready to sell and were sorting peaches to make more baskets full. Off to the side, they had a basket full of very ripe/over-ripe peaches. I asked what they wanted for the over-ripe ones because I like them the best for slicing and eating. They said $2.:shocked: Can you believe it? I bought a normal basket and a very ripe basket for $22 total.

These peaches are fairly small and full of flavor. I had a bowl last night and I'm having another one for breakfast. If I can keep the juice from running off my chin onto the keyboard, I will be lucky. These peaches are so good you don't need them with anything else. Even so, I may just have to go get some whipping cream and completely indulge myself. Nuthin' like the taste of a tree ripened peach. . . mmmm!

 

[smstonypoint]

Jim.

I don't won't to stir up a fight, but you need to try South Carolina peaches to know what "real" peaches are.

Steve

 

[Bird]

How well I understand, Jim. Way back in the days when I worked in downtown Dallas, I've bought the peach "culls" myself at the Farmers Market. They may not be as pretty as the ones in the supermarket, but they sure do taste better.

 

[mjarrels]

My peach trees are not doing very well. Did have to stop under my cherry trees a few times while mowing the other day. Sweet picking from the tractor seat.

mark

 

[Bird]

Jim.

I don't won't to stir up a fight, but you need to try South Carolina peaches to know what "real" peaches are.

Steve

I guess you mean from this area. Georgia is known as the peach state, but I understand South Carolina produces more peaches than Georgia.

 

[jimmyj]

Mmmmm...peaches.

Gosh, we won't have local peaches for a long time yet. You guys are lucky to have such a long season.

 

[smstonypoint]

I guess you mean from this area. Georgia is known as the peach state, but I understand South Carolina produces more peaches than Georgia.

Bird,

You are correct. Historically, SC has been the second-leading state for peach production after California. The "peachoid" water tower is located in Gaffney, SC right along I-85, in an area known as the "Upstate." Over time, SC peach production has shifted south and east, due in part to urban/suburban expansion in the Greenville/Spartanburg area.

Steve

 

[mjarrels]

Triva... How many peach tree streets in Atlanta Ga?

mark

 

[vsumoski]

All of them.

Vince

 

[vsumoski]

North, south, east, west, street, lane, road, blvd, etc.

 

[jinman]

Jim.

I don't won't to stir up a fight, but you need to try South Carolina peaches to know what "real" peaches are.

Steve

I won't stir up a fight with you, but the "best" peaches are the ones in the bowl in front of me. It doesn't matter how good they are in S. Carolina. I like the ones within arm's reach.

Oh yes, one more thing. My experience is that cling peaches are far superior in taste to freestone peaches. What do you think?

 

[jinman]

How well I understand, Jim. Way back in the days when I worked in downtown Dallas, I've bought the peach "culls" myself at the Farmers Market. They may not be as pretty as the ones in the supermarket, but they sure do taste better.

Bird, when she said $2 for the whole basket, I almost gasped. If the trees were my own, I couldn't pick peaches up off the ground for $2 a basket. If you want fresh peaches over the next couple of weeks, a trip over this way to Inez Adam's fruit stand would be a good bet. She said they will start having freestone peaches by the end of next week. Their orchard is about 1/2 mile from me as the crow flies and only 1-1/2 miles by road. However, their fruit stand is south of Bowie on Hwy 287, so I have to drive 8 miles to buy peaches grown a half-mile from my house.

BTW: Some people like the big meaty peaches, but I think the ones under the size of a tennis ball are far better in taste than the ones the size of a baseball. Some of the ones I bought are about twice the size of a golfball and loaded with flavor.

 

[/pine]

I'm partial to GA and SC peaches...but they're all good...as long as they're ice cold...!

 

[smstonypoint]

I won't stir up a fight with you, but the "best" peaches are the ones in the bowl in front of me. It doesn't matter how good they are in S. Carolina. I like the ones within arm's reach.

Oh yes, one more thing. My experience is that cling peaches are far superior in taste to freestone peaches. What do you think?

Jim,

Again, not to stir up an argument (well,actually to stir one up), I've never tasted a Texas peach. But I have tasted the small early-season peaches from south Georgia. To paraphrase the late Jerry Clower, "I've got news for you, those peaches ain't fit to eat." :laughing:

Also, I prefer freestone peaches. It looks like we will have to agree to disagree.

Steve

 

[Bird]

Steve, I've had enough experience that I can guarantee Texas and Oklahoma peaches are as good as any state produces, although some states produce more of them. I tend to prefer freestone peaches, when I get them from the grocery store, for the convenience, but the cling are at least as good, maybe better flavor. I think a great deal depends on how ripe they are when picked. I don't really know how the commercial folks store and ship their peaches, so I don't know how long they last without being canned or frozen. But I bought some very ripe peaches at Walmart last winter (out of season) to make fresh peach ice cream, and unfortunately, they came from Chili, but they were actually quite good.

 

[JESSE1]

We travel north about thirty miles to Pittsburg Texas to get fresh peaches. Several peach orchards in the area, we've been buying from the Efurd peach orchard. They have their packing house and fruit and vegetable stand under one roof. Several different varieties of peach coming off all summer.

 

[brin]

We tried to grow peaches here on our farm in Georgia years ago and had one good crop..and then no more..Checked with the county agent back then and he explained that most homeowners and farmers with just a few peach trees had terrible luck due to all the prunigng, thinning and chemical spraying needed to have good peaches ..so we may be the peach state but we buy them from the roadside stand too.

 

[scott_vt]

Nuthin' like the taste of a tree ripened peach. . . mmmm!

Good Mornin Jim,
I agree I love peaches !!!

But peaches and whip cream bring it up to a new level ! :licking:

I panted a peach tree up on my Vt property a few years ago and am still waiting for my first peach !

Of course the tree was only 18" high when planted !

Enjoy !

 

[WayneB]

My peach trees are really loaded this year, but we are a good 7 weeks before we eat the first peach. Now that is if the deer don't get them first. Already seeing them looking at the trees.

We had our first lcoal strawberries yesterday and I thought we were lucky!

 

[jayste]

Jim, two items of business....peaches and Sunset, Tx! First, I agree with you about those peaches. I traveled down your way this past weekend and passed through one of Oklahoma's peach spots, Stratford. I saw some stands open as well as some peaches still on the tree. We didn't stop this trip but will make a special trip down to buy some soon. Peaches have been hit and miss around these parts for a few years. My favorite is one within arms reach as well and almost to the point of just falling off the pit! I like them RIPE!:thumbsup:
2nd, My wife and I took my mother down to meet up with one of our daughters, who lives in Carrolton, to catch a flight out of DFW. After that we wanted to meet up with our youngest & her husband who's living in Abilene and going to college. Just so happens that they were going to be in Wichita Falls for the weekend so we shot up there before heading back home. I just realized that on our trip to WF up 287 we drove right through your neck of the woods! We even made a "pit stop" outside of Bowie! Anyway, nice area you live in there. I enjoy driving through those rolling plains.