I want my local peaches!

By Erin Frederick

The summer solstice is approaching, and that means July is just around the corner.  July marks the beginning of peach season.  Peaches, considered “stone fruit” because of their large, hard seed, can be found on Pennsylvania farms starting July through early September, depending on the variety.    According to NASS (National Agricultural Statistics Service), Pennsylvania had 4,400 acres of peach trees in 2012, yielding over 41 million pounds of peaches.

I visited a local orchard not long ago, and I was surprised to learn about the incredible amount of work required in the orchard BEFORE the fruit is even close to ripe.  Peach trees need to be pruned and thinned each year.   Pruning – removal of the branches - needs to occur between late March and early May.  Timing is key:  prune too early and you risk cold injury; prune too late and you could decrease the size of your fruit.  The majority of peach trees in Pennsylvania are pruned with the open center system, which establishes 3 to 5 major scaffold (primary) limbs on the outside of the tree with an open middle, forming a bowl-like shape with the branches.  Trees are also pruned to keep the height low enough so that the peaches can be easily picked from the ground.

Thinning – removal of fruit - is also necessary for a healthy yield of appropriately sized fruit.   Thinning begins early June and continues until the tree is done fruiting.   Peaches are generally thinned so fruit is 6 inches apart, sometimes more to accommodate for larger fruit or if there is a period of drought stress. Thinning also reduces weight on branches, which reduces the chances of breaking limbs.  The tree also takes care of this on its own to some degree by what’s known as “May drop” or “June drop”, depending on the region.  During May or June, the smaller fruit that were not pollinated correctly typically fall off.

Pruning, thinning and the eventual harvesting, must all be done by hand!

 

Sources: Ag Alternatives , National Agricultural Statistics Service

Photo sourced from Minnesota State University

Support Your Farmer:

LEHIGH VALLEY: Pappy’s Orchard is a second generation, family owned and operated orchard and bakery. They offer a wide variety of stone fruit and an extensive selection of eating and baking apples.  Their bakery, Lisa’s Kitchen, is a recent addition and utilizes the products of the orchard to make seasonal fruit pies and cakes, along with traditional Pennsylvania Dutch staples, various cookies, and jellies.  They are located a short 20 minutes from Quakertown and Allentown and easy to find.   Come visit Pappy’s Orchard on the 2013 Lehigh County Open Gate Farm Tour!

BERKS:  Weaver’s Orchard has been family-owned and operated for four generations.  They offer homegrown fruits and vegetables, baked goods, deli items, dairy, canned goods, jams & jellies, and custom made fruit baskets. 

BUCKS:  Tabora Farm & Orchard has been a family owned and operated farm market for over twenty years. Owners Caleb and Patricia Torrice, along with their four children, offer the freshest quality products from their from-scratch bakery, full service deli, country store, gift basket business, and fresh fruit and vegetable farm.  Tabora orchards are a true Bucks County delight - bringing visitors in to pick their own. Their orchards are conveniently located near Doylestown, Lansdale, and Quakertown.