Michigan Peaches

juellie1962

11 years ago

My mom used to can & freeze everything. Sadly, I didn't get that gene. Until now, after she's passed away. She always said Michigan peaches were the best (around WI anyway). And I thought she always said they weren't ready till late July....have I missed them?? I have no clue where she used to buy them buy the case either. All I see in the grocery store is California peaches. (not knocking those, just want to try & get as close to mom's as I can).

Any clues??

Comments (9)

azzalea
11 years ago
Don't know about the time in Michigan, but I just took a peach cobbler out of the oven--made with our fresh Jersey Peaches (which, of course, I think are the best!) Actually I think that being local is what makes produce 'the best'--it's always better when it's grown locally, ripened on the plant/vine/tree, and hasn't been stored for long periods of time. So we all think ours are 'best' because they are better than the supermarket stuff.

I really don't think you've missed the season. Tree fruits take a while to grow and ripen on the tree. Get out to your local farm markets and see, but I think you'll find you'll be able to pick up what you need now, or soon.

Have fun! I was just thinking this morning about how my mom and I would spend a morning prepping baskets of peaches for freezing--then we'd have them most of the winter. Haven't done that in a while. Now that I live in the country, and have a great fruit orchard just around the block, maybe I'll get back to it.
SunnyDJ
11 years ago
Here in Pa. we think peaches from Chambersburg, MD are the best....Just got some yesterday and Oh MY, they are good.....
Related Discussions
Good luck for peaches in winter
Q
Comments (18)
Hey Dennnis. In Iowa we have had a very mild winter, I believe 4th warmest on record (our records go back to the 1870s, I believe). I don't think it got below -10 F this winter. I am optimistic about this coming growing season, but realize that a late freeze could wipe us out. Our grass has not started to green up yet. I have a small yard with three peach trees. Last year I had a third year tree that produced about 100 fruit. That is the best I have ever done. Three winters earlier I lost all my young peach trees to temps below -30 F. In Iowa we have no commercial peach production due to the climate. Michigan is at our latitude and in many cases farther north, but winter temps along the west coast of Michigan are warmed by Lake Michigan, hence Michigan had significant peach orchards, and still has some commercial production. Where are you in Finland that your winter is mild enough to grow peaches? I envisioned polar bears, and reindeer as part of the landscape / snowscape there.
...See More
Hardy Peach Tree; Recommendations?
Q
Comments (25)
For cool wet West Virginia I was looking for both hardy and disease resistant trees when I got started. In most cases it seemed to be either/or. I have a Reliance and a Contender and a Harrow Beauty and a few others including some seedlings. One of those seedlings is the best of any of them so far, and I'd really like to have it grafted. Anyway, Reliance here has ripened about July 15 to 23 for six consecutive years. Contender only set fruit one year before being set back severely by borers. Its ripening date (for tree ripened fruit) was July 28 to August 5 - definitely later than Reliance, and right along with Harrow Beauty. For me, Reliance has been as disease resistant as Harrow Beauty or more so. Its fruit was of excellent quality the first few years, but this last year its flavor was lacking and it had less color. Still not bad though. The tree is still vigorously growing. The 'Contender' tree was purchased from Cummins Nursery in NY, grafted on to Halford. The 'Harrow Beauty' was purchased from Adams County Nursery and was grafted onto Baily. The 'Reliance' was from Stark Bros and they said it was grafted onto "seedling" rootstock. Peaches have done surprisingly well for me here in the mountains, but I put a lot of work into preparing the planting location. I really believe nutrition is the most important key to healthy productive trees. I may have more to say about 'Madison' and 'Intrepid' in the future. Here is a link that might be useful: Last year's report
...See More
Canned peaches not firm
Q
Comments (6)
Part of it may be the variety, part of it is the degree of ripeness when canned (overly ripe are floppier), but a good part of it is that you didn't use a sugar syrup. Any fruits will be firmer the greater the amount of sugar used in the preserving liquid. If for no other reason than the amount of heat penetration allowed by the surrounding liquid - thinner allows more heat penetration of the fruit itself. So choosing to use one of the juices rather than one of many levels of sugar syrup does have an associated 'cost'. It affects the quality in shortened shelf life, color preservation, and firmness. Not that they aren't good, just not the same Dave
...See More
$22-$24/lb good price for peaches?
Q
Comments (10)
Just to update this thread... Peaches have been selling for $5.00 a qt (5 peaches) at the farmers markets around here but there aren't many due to the early budding and late frost. I got a call this morning from one of the orchards I stop at. They had a few from their own trees and could sell me some. I drove right over and got a 1/2 bushel. They were $30.00. These are Redhavens, a peach Michigan is known for and my favorite. I counted out 30 peaches and there is a little more than twice that in the bag yet, so I think I did quite well. There will be peach pie, peach jam, canned peaches and fresh peaches for my morning cereal at this house. On the drive home I got to thinking... it's nothing to spend $30.00 on a couple of good steaks, wouldn't even give it a thought. I'll get a lot of enjoyment from the peaches and probably sell a few jars of jam at the farmers market to pay for them. I'm happy! :) Nancy
...See More
jude31
11 years ago
South Carolina peaches are our favorites and I don't remember what kind they are but some of their best ripen in August. We did have a market basket full of earlier peaches, brought by our new GSIL, and they were great. I understand the weather got a lot of the Michigan peaches this year.
patti43
11 years ago
Jude31, we like those SC peaches too. They grow some white ones that are ripe in August that are even better than the peachy-peaches.

Azzalea, I've often heard that fruits and vegetables grown in NJ are the best. And it is called the Garden State, after all. It must be the soil. Sadly, I've never seen produce of any kind from NJ in our stores. Wonder why?
Cherryfizz
11 years ago
Michigan peaches should be out by now because in Southern Ontario we have had peaches for more than a month. Nothing better than an Ontario peach. Although 40 percent of the peach crop was damaged this year do to bad weather peaches are smaller but really good. I am on my 4th basket now, can never get enough peaches.

I had a friend visit from Georgia last week and she loved our peaches LOL

Anne
jmc01
11 years ago
According to my Michigan peach vendor at our Farmer's Market, the peach crop this year is very meager because of the 'hot' weather in Feb/Mar which was followed by prolonged frost. WI was hit, too. What little crop there has been is already done.
iowagirl2006
11 years ago
Well of course, Colorado peaches are the best! LOL! Missouri ones are pretty tasty too.

Hope you can find your favorite peach!
jannie
11 years ago
I'm in New York (Long Island) and the apple and peach farm near me just put the sign out for peaches. Will get there today after my doctor apointment. My own crop (I have an Elberta freestone peach tree) got eaten up by the squirrels! They got my cherries too!
susanjf_gw
11 years ago
jmc01, is right...same for our cherry crop. the cherry festival had to import from wa state...i don't know how we have any corn either...lay you odds our wine grapes were damaged too..just when we were getting medals from international tastings, sigh...

Michigan Peaches

Comments (9)

azzalea

SunnyDJ

Related Discussions

jude31

patti43

Cherryfizz

jmc01

iowagirl2006

jannie

susanjf_gw

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US