Big, Juicy, Lovely Peaches!
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Latest Update on Peach Season in Texas
June 1, 2023 Peach Season Update
Local growers have commenced the harvest of the first freestone varieties and white peaches, marking the beginning of peach season. The period from now until mid-June offers the best opportunity to enjoy peaches this year. It is advisable for visitors to take advantage of these early-season peaches, as the availability of later freestone varieties may be restricted. For the widest selection, most orchards and roadside stands tend to have better stock during morning hours. Prior to your visit, it is recommended to confirm the operating hours and availability of your preferred orchard or specific peach variety.
April 24, 2023 Peach Season Update.
The early crop for peaches will begin by May 12, 2023 according to Texaspeaches.com
A lot of people will wait till later in the season to enjoy local peaches because as they say, the more sunlight a fruit gets, the sweeter the fruit! Well, thatâs actually true. But if we take cue from the droughts that weâve been having, the best time for peaches this season would be from may to mid-June.
The drought and lack of sufficient winter chill has left many members of the Hill Country Fruit Council with about a 25% crop. Yes, 25%. Thatâs 1/4 of the expected crop and that means a limited supply of peaches for the 2023 season.
Peaches in Texas mean summer is finally here. Roadside stands offer plenty of delicious options. But there's something special about going peaches picking "near me" and grabbing the fruit right off the tree.
Update: As of July 27, 2022
Better late than never! Peak season for Hill Country peaches is finally here! Although it's a bit late (about three weeks to be precise) growers are harvesting many great freestone varieties like Red Globe, Majestic, Loring, Ruston Red, Dixiland, and more. The average fruit size is a little smaller than normal, but the flavor is excellent with very high sugar levels due to dry conditions! Local field-grown tomatoes, watermelons, cantaloupes (how long does cantaloupe last?), squash, okra, and other vegetables are also available. Please, check with individual stands for availability and hours.
Update: As of June 2022
When are peaches ready in Texas?
The Texas Peach Season is in full swing! The peaches this season will be smaller than average due to drought and heat conditions in Fredericksburg and the surrounding areas, BUT they are as flavorful and as juicy as youâll remember! Cling and semi-cling varieties like Flavor Rich, Regal and Carored are becoming available. Check with individual stands for availability.
As of April 28, it is expected that Fredericksburg will have a good peach season! Harvests are expected to come in mid-May and are expected to be strong throughout the entire season! This is amazing news for peach lovers not just in Texas, but the entire United States because everyone knows that the best peaches in the world come from the Texas Hill Country!
Where to Get the Best Peaches in Texas?
While Georgia is known as the Peach State, Texas peaches in this writer's humble opinion are still some of the best peaches in the world! Now back to the question: Where to get the best peaches in Texas? Your best bet will be roadside markets and orchards around Stonewall and Fredericksburg. Thatâs the whole thing with supporting local right? Get as close to the source as possible and nothing beats going directly to the source!
If you want to take a road trip, roadside stalls and orchards can be found along Highway 290 between Stonewall and Fredericksburg. If youâre coming from the other direction, you can also try along Highway 87, just south of Main Street in Fredericksburg. Not only can you find the freshest and tastiest local peaches, but you can find more than 20 different varieties of peaches! Make the most of Fredericksburg peach crop 2023. A peach isnât just a peach and you really havenât tried peaches until youâve tried fresh Fredericksburg peaches fresh off the tree!
To save you time in finding a peaches farm "near me", hereâs a great list of Orchards that you can check out here, or you can also check out Texas Peaches for the latest up-to-date information on Fredericksburg peaches! Of course, donât forget Fredericksburg Peach Festival on 1st July or Cooper Farms for Fairfield peaches.
How to Select the Best Texas Peaches
Once youâre on location, you can simply ask the growers to help you pick the best peaches! But if you want to select the best for yourself then here are some things to keep in mind. Grab the peach and determine its ripeness just by feel:
Hard like a rock/baseball â Avoid these peaches, theyâre totally unripe and they will probably never ripen properly. Youâll probably never see these if youâre going to orchards or roadside stalls because our local Texas growers are passionate about selling the best peaches around! But if youâre picking them yourself or if youâre at a supermarket, this is a good thing to keep in mind.
Firm like a tennis ball â These are a bit unripe, but they will fully ripen in a week or so. Best if youâre traveling somewhere and bringing the peaches as a gift for someone or if you donât plan to eat them immediately.
Has a springy quality or has a bit of a âgiveâ to it â You can eat these with no problems, but they can still develop flavor for the next couple of days. Good if youâre buying something to keep at home for the next few days or if you're planning to make some peach or nectatine pies then this would be the type to go for.
Soft / Bruising â These are the PERFECT peaches. Peak ripeness and sweetness! If you plan to eat them immediately or within the day then look for these types of peaches. And of course, make sure that the peaches still have smooth skins, bruised skins can mean that they've been over-handled.
Squishy / Super Soft / Already Bruised â Sadly these have been left out too long and are already overripe. Avoid these types of peaches unless you like the taste of overripe peaches.
Why Should We Support Our Local Texas Peach Growers?
Aside from the obvious reason that they simply just taste better, peaches that are imported from elsewhere go through a LOT of things before they reach supermarket shelves. First, they go through a wash step that uses detergent which strips away the natural fruit wax. After that they are brushed to remove the fuzz (to make them last longer) and then they go through a coating of edible wax thatâs put on to decrease water loss and prevent shriveling, as well as extend shelf life. They may also go through a fungicide coating to slow down decay. Compare that with tree, then to your table, which sounds more appetizing?
What do Fresh Texas Peaches Taste Like?
We sometimes get some comments that canned peaches taste sweeter and better than their fresh counterparts. You know why? Because of sugar. Tons, and tons of sugar! For peaches to survive being canned, theyâre soaked in a sugar syrup, which explains their sweetness, and the added calories. Fresh peaches are actually a low-calorie fruit that you can snack on. Not only that, but they are rich in potassium which is good for your blood pressure! As for the taste, their delicate, floral sweetness is something that you really canât find in the canned versions.
History Of The Peach
The peach (Prunus persica) is a deciduous tree native to the region of Northwest China between the Tarim Basin and the north slopes of the Kunlun Mountains, where it was first domesticated and cultivated. It bears an edible juicy fruit called a peach or a nectarine.
The specific name persica refers to its widespread cultivation in Persia, whence it was transplanted to Europe. It belongs to the genus Prunus which includes the cherry, apricot, almond and plum, in the rose family. The peach is classified with the almond in the subgenus Amygdalus, distinguished from the other subgenera by the corrugated seed shell.
The Peach Tree
Peach trees grow to 4â10 m (13â33 ft) tall, with a spreading canopy of 10â20 m (33â66 ft). The leaves are lanceolate, 7â16 cm (3â6 in) long, 2â3 cm (0â79â1â8 in) broad, pinnately veined. The flowers are produced in early spring before the leaves; they are solitary or paired, 2.5â3 cm (1â1 1â4 in) diameter, pink, with five petals. The fruit has yellow or whitish flesh, a delicate aroma, and a velvety skin. The flesh is very delicate and easily bruised in some cultivars, but is fairly firm in others, especially when green.
Types of Peaches / Peach Varieties
The best-known cultivar group of peaches, freestones, have flesh that readily separates from the pit. The western United States produces two types of freestone peach: clingstones and semi-freestones. Clingstones, the more widespread of the two, are distinguished by a tendency to cling to the pit even after being cut. Semi-freestones have flesh that separates easily from the pit with only a slight tug.
The other major cultivar group of peaches are ânon-freestoneâ varieties such as âContenderâ, where the flesh sticks strongly to the pit.
The skin of yellow-fleshed peaches stains easily when exposed to air; this characteristic is exploited commercially, since expensive green-skinned varieties such as âFortuneâ and âIntenseâ can be sold with a pinkish tinge on their otherwise green skins. Neither white- nor yellow-fleshed peaches should be exposed to direct sunlight for too long, as this causes sunburn on the skin.
Nutrition and Factoids About Peaches
A medium peach has about 60 calories, no sodium, no cholesterol, and is a good source of vitamin A and vitamin C. One peach has 12% of the daily value for fiber. The skin of a peach contains more nutrients than the fleshy part of the fruit, but many people prefer to eat the flesh because it is juicier.
Did you know that the peach is actually a member of the rose family?
Peaches are believed to have originated in China, where they were first domesticated and cultivated.
The scientific name for the peach, Prunus persica, refers to its widespread cultivation in Persia.
There are over 1,000 varieties of peaches grown throughout the world.
Peach trees can live for up to 30 years, which is a decent age for fruit trees.
A medium peach has about 60 calories and is a good source of vitamins A and C.
The skin of a peach contains more nutrients than the fleshy part of the fruit
Famous Peach Dishes
Peach cobbler, peach pie, peach melba, and peach ice cream are just a few of the dishes that feature this delicious fruit. Don't forget to check out the rest of the site for great peach recipes as well!
For more information about peaches in Texas, including nutritional information, visit the website for the National Peach Council.
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