The folks at Weaver’s Orchard are feeling absolutely peachy this time of year! Peach season is just about to begin, so before you know it you’ll be able to head to the orchard to gather your very own, fresh from the tree. With the help of Weaver’s, we’re here to give you all the info you need to know about peaches and how to pick ’em, can them for later and use them in recipes right now.
Freestone versus Clingstone
Early season peaches are called “clingstone” because they still cling to the stone and can sometimes be hard to get off. Right now, most of the ripe peaches are pretty clingstone. By August, all peaches will be freestone (easily coming entirely off the stone). If you’re canning, you’ll want to wait until the peaches are truly freestone; otherwise you’ll waste a lot of fruit around the stone and it will take much longer to prepare them.
Picking Tips
Peaches are delicate, so use a shallow basket or box rather than a deep bucket when picking. Otherwise, you’ll have a lot of crushed or bruised peaches at the bottom of the bucket. Choose peaches that are still firm so they won’t get damaged while you pick more fruit and transport them home. Unlike fruits like cherries and strawberries, which do not continue to ripen after they are picked, firm peaches do continue to ripen and will soften within a few days. Choose peaches that have a yellow—not green!—background color. Don’t be dazzled by a peach with lots of red in the foreground—if the background is green, it will take a long time to ripen, no matter how much red there is. Pick peaches gently and settle them into your picking basket gently.
Canning Your Peaches
Save a bit of summer for the cooler months by canning your peaches. Peaches are ready for canning when they are soft to the touch at the stem end of the peach. The vital supplies you’ll need for canning are a canner, canning jars, rings/lids, a jar funnel and jar lifter and a few regular kitchen items—knives, sauce pans, and the like. Ready to begin? Check out this blog article from Kendra Musser, cooking class instructor and wife of Weaver’s farm market manager, for a wealth of information about canning peaches. For the complete step-by-step, check out this introductory canning video that was recently featured on the Weaver’s website.
Peachy Keen Recipes
The Weaver’s website recipe section is a treasure trove of creative ideas that will get you into the kitchen to make the most of your fresh, juicy peaches. We’ve listed a half-dozen of our favorites below, both sweet and savory. Time to start chopping, grilling and baking!
Peach Custard Granola Bake
Peach Amaretto Jam
Grilled Peaches
Pico de Gallo Salsa with Peaches
Rachel’s Farm Table Provençal Salad
Grilled Peaches & Brie with Herbs de Provence
Find Weaver’s Orchard at 40 Fruit Ln., Morgantown; phone: (610) 856-7300.
- Photos: Weaver's Orchard
