The Joy of Picking Peaches
In the middle of prepping for the new school year (didn’t we just finish?!), turning over rows for fall planting, book edits/decisions, and keeping the house from being taken over by laundry,
there is…
the joy
of picking
peaches.
This was my first time.
The girls and I loaded up in the car on a squelching hot morning and headed to Forgie’s Fruit Farm in Lewisburg, TN. Once we left the interstate, the drive was absolutely charming on the country roads leading to the farm - the kind of roads where the trees make a canopy overhead. When it finally opened up, we saw a farm store at the bottom of a hill, and the steep hill behind it lined with whimsical-looking peach trees loaded with fruit.
They made it so easy to do u-pick: there were peck baskets already stacked and ready, each with a plastic shopping bag on the inside. We grabbed as many baskets as we wanted to fill, and a tractor with a large wagon attached to it came almost right away to pick us up and take us up the hill. Sadly, I learned that this is Forgie’s last year doing peaches after 26 years - apparently the owners are retiring. As a farmer, I can only imagine how much work it is to maintain a place like that, and I’ve only farmed for 4 years. I’m so glad we got to have the experience this year!
What’s wonderful about picking peaches:
🔸The sensory experience of the soft fuzz on your fingers and the gentle pressure of your fingers against the skin
🔸The cute, squatty trees that seem like they’re in a fairytale forest
🔸The low limbs that are easier for little ones to reach and help
🔸How quickly you can pick all you need - we got 5 pecks in 15 minutes!
🔸That coral color. The epitome of summertime.
Now, we look forward to eating them raw, the juice dripping down our chins and stickied fingers. We will make peach jam and peach salsa and peach crumble and peaches with basil and burrata. 🤤
There are still struggles, weeds, and uncertainties, but at least there are fresh summer peaches, 5 whole pecks of joy, going home with us in the trunk of the car. ✨🍑✨
Here are some peach recipes for inspiration:
Summer Peach Salsa - I roughly followed this recipe and added chopped heirloom tomatoes. I used cilantro instead of mint.
Shauna Niequist’s Blueberry Crisp - sub peaches, or combine with blueberries
And for breakfast the next morning, I made my peach-loving oldest daughter something special: Toasted sprouted grain English muffin with butter, generous spread of goat cheese, thinly sliced peaches, drizzle of raw honey, and some chopped fresh basil.
She asked for another one after this. :)
