Peach Basket

In South Georgia the summers get too hot to even sit out by the pool. When it’s 100 degrees in the shade, you just can’t keep cool. But it's this wicked hot humidity that brings forward the bell of the ball, sweet peaches.  Imagine pastel skies during a hot summer's eve, sugary sweet fruits and a canopy of green trees, lounging out on a rocking chair,  watching the sun set over the hills.  Summer holds its own brand of magic in a peach orchard...

Peaches, with their fuzzy pink skin and deliciously sweet flesh make them a harvesting favorite. Riding a tractor into the fields to hand pick and sort peaches is a timeless and beloved past time. According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, peaches picked at their peak are pure perfection! Peaches bloom and bear fruit on second-year wood; therefore, the trees need to make good growth each spring and summer to insure a crop for the next year. Tips for harvesting: When peaches are fully ripe, the ground color of the fruit changes from green to completely yellow. No green should be left on the fruit. They should come off the tree with only a slight twist.  Gently place them into your basket, as they bruise easily. The fruits found on the top and outside of the tree usually ripen first.

While many dream of dipping their toes in the sand and splashing in the ocean waves, strolling through an orchard with a basket on our arm, picking peaches and sipping sweet tea on a shady veranda is where we want to be.