Okay, fine, dozens of peaches, but given this is my first peach harvest and–with all the concern I’ve had over the trees–I wasn’t sure I’d get any edible fruit, this sure feels like millions…
(Also, some songs from my youth will literally never leave my brain… that’s one of them. Which is very, very unfortunate.)
My first taste…
They’re small but sweet, and the spots on the skin don’t affect taste (they just make them a bit harder to peel.) I picked a couple dozen before I realized that I had no idea what to do with a couple dozen peaches. But, the nice thing about having fresh-picked fruit straight from your property is that it’s really difficult to come up with something that won’t be delicious.
Here’s what I came up with:
Peach crisp. (I like a crisp top better than a cobbler, personally.) I followed this recipe, but subbed honey for some of the brown sugar in the topping (because, bees.)
And, speaking of honey…
This is the first stage of the honey-vanilla peach jam I made a very small batch of. (Recipe from the website Food in Jars.)
It’s super simple recipe with just peaches, honey, vanilla bean, and a little lemon zest. Since I’m about a week away from honey harvest again I especially love these honey-sweetened recipes.
I plan to continue harvesting the rest of the peaches over the next week or so, and I’m hoping to freeze a couple of pounds to use in mead-making later this year.
I have to say, there’s been a lot of work involved in planting and maintaining the orchard, but it all seems worth it when I get to walk out to the back of my property, pick some peaches, and turn them into something delicious!
20 Responses
Peaches come in a can, they were put there by a man…
A surprisingly common impromptu singalong song in my house.
Congratulations, peaches are wonderful, I will sure try out your recipes next year.
We also use ours in salads, lightly barbequed with ice cream and our favourite is in jam with the zest and juice of one orange pr kilo of peaches (+ 1 kilo of sugar)boil for 20 minutes add some pectin and 2 tablespoons of vodka for each kilo of fruit – vodka is added at the very end of the process.
I just discovered Food in Jars this week!
Looks good!
Dozens can suddenly appear to seem as millions once you realize you have to eat or preserve them all or lose them.
I like chunked up fresh peaches with some granola mixed in, easypeasy (well, easy once you make the granola).
Did you have any trouble with overloaded branches failing due to lack of proper prior pruning…or did your matrilineage take care of that? Saw a couple ‘planted long ago never properly pruned’ peach trees with broken branches because of that this year…so sad.
What a good tree mama! Peaches are my favorite fresh fruit. Will say canned works great though for peach sangria ☺
My husband had that CD and used to play it quite a bit so now I have that song in my head lol.
I love peach crisp, so yummy! You’ll probably start getting pretty creative to use up all that fruit lol.
Orangepippin.com (heirloom apple, plum,pears, and cherries).
Tip: save all the inedible fruits and tree trimmings and place them someplace far from your gardens and orchards. Throw on some alfalfa seed & clover. Make it a routine habit and it will keep the deer from pruning your crops. Deer also love cedar…
In a pinch for time you can always dehydrate your fruits in the oven while you work or sleep. Makes gift giving at the holidays even better! (DIY peaches & cream oatmeal with pecan bits in a jar – just add hot water & sweetener to taste.)
Kudos! : )
is it just me, or does the cut peach in the second photo look a tad underripe?
Look up peach streusel.
Peaches for free…peaches for me…
Classic :-). You are a bad ass.
Your fruits of labor putting in the small orchard are paying back already and you making jam 1st yr is one for the books. We had a large sqaure area in the back yard full of rasberries and behind that was a big area of rhubarb. Our mom would make the most awesome melt in your mouth Rasberry – Rhubarb Crunch after us kids picked each and took to the back kitchen door. You’ll have great fun experimenting with your own creations of flavored mead ie. peach, blueberry, apple-pie etc.
Rock on Kit ~~ pick peaces singing this song ….https://youtu.be/n1k72DWadlA
It’s almost like a fruity flashback… the song won’t leave my head…..Happy picking
Here’s a great EASY recipe in a skillet for your peaches!
http://www.cookingwithcarlee.com/2016/07/peach-breakfast-cake-new-take-on-old.html
That jam looks DIVINE! Way to go on your first peach harvest!
Love your place! Quick question, I did not see what type peach trees/how old they were/where you got them, that they produced fruit so fast?
I have two I planted last year that were just labeled “peach” (no variety)… they were about 3-4′ tall when I planted them (not sure how old that makes them) and those were the two peaches that provided fruit this year. I also planted a redhaven peach tree this year that I’m hoping will fruit next year.
You go girl!! 🙂
wow, *drool* all of that looks so delicious! do the donkeys like peaches?
Peeling peaches problems? I’ll just leave this here!
http://ohmrstucker.com/how-to-peel-peaches-like-a-peach-peelin-pro/
Oh man, that looks like a real treat. I am so glad your peach trees produced for you. I didn’t think they would survive in your area of the country. Must be a northern variety.
Kit, going thru witdrawal, please post soon! 15 days and counting since last post…’;-)
Eight years ago, when we moved to Seven Oaks (our farm in Virginia), we planted an orchard. We started with four little Elberta peach tree saplings purchased from the Arbor Day Society… This year despite our best care, those little peach trees started to die. The end result: Two bushels of peaches. Sad isn’t it?
You had better results this year, congrats!
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