Peaches

[beavis]

For the first year ever, the farm will have a peach harvest! For years, the birds have feasted on the ripening peaches leaving us with nothing. I have tried preventitive measures in the past such as bird -netting over the entire tree, but that never worked well and usually I would have to rescue a few birds caught in the netting.

This year I stumbled upon something from the home orchard society called nylon fruit footies. Basically, pantyhose pieces that cover the entire developing fruit and they expand as the fruit matures. They worked out extremely well this year, not one fruit when to the birds. The only drawback is the method is labor intensive as you have to slip the nylon hose over each individual fruit. But in the end I do believe it was worth the effort!

I harvested over 15lbs of fruit, over 60 peaches!

 

[lesa]

How wonderful!!!! I can't imagine how delicious a homegrown peach would be!! Vfem was making little bags for her fruit. Did you see the post, by the person who covered the entire tree with a bag? Are you going to make anything special with your harvest? I was happy to find that there is a peach tree called "Reliant" that will grow in my zone. Definitely on my "want" list! Enjoy!

 

[beavis]

I have no idea what to do with all these peaches now LOL!

I thought I would eat most of them fresh and try freezing some for smoothies.

Beyond that, any suggestions? Recipes?

Looking to stay away from recipes with sugar.....

 

[jojo54]

Lucky you! We had alot of peaches last year but this year it was cold at the wrong time and only two trees that were more sheltered have any at all.

Last year we ate alot of smoothies. Yum!

I also canned peaches and made jam but both of those involve sugar. I think my MIL used to freeze some for peach desserts in the winter but I don't know if she added sugar or not.

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

Simply Stunning!

I have a donut peach and a white peach tree. This year was a bust. They look horrible, barely any leaves, certainly no fruit. It was a wild winter, with our last frost just after mother's day. Two years ago I had so many peaches, I was desperate as to what to do with the harvest. I hope my trees survive. Your's look fab!

 

[journey11]

Those are some beauties you've got there, Beavis! :happy_flower

My favorite thing to do with them is to simply peel and cut them up, then freeze them in gallon ziploc bags. All year long we enjoy them in the yummiest oatmeal ever. I just break off little chunks of peaches and add them in, as is. We tried canning some in light syrup last year too, but the flavor is superior frozen.

 

[beavis]

Those are some beauties you've got there, Beavis! :happy_flower

My favorite thing to do with them is to simply peel and cut them up, then freeze them in gallon ziploc bags. All year long we enjoy them in the yummiest oatmeal ever. I just break off little chunks of peaches and add them in, as is. We tried canning some in light syrup last year too, but the flavor is superior frozen.

That what I want to do. Do you have to add ascorbic acid and/or fruit juice to preserve the color?

 

[skeeter9]

Good Job!!!! Those peaches look delicious!

One thing we love to do with them is slice them fresh over homemade vanilla ice cream. It's to die for!!! You could easily make sugar-free homemade ice cream. Or even make sugar-free peach ice cream!!!!

Enjoy your harvest!!!

 

[journey11]

If I'm working in small batches, I can usually get them bagged before they brown. But if you do them up all at once, I sometimes use either lemon juice or ascorbic acid (Ball fresh fruit preserver), sprinkling a little on top of the bowl as I go. No need to add sugar though.

 

[Carol Dee]

Those look so good! I think we make get a few peaches this year. The small white peach variety. We started two from peaches from the in-laws tree. That thing produced more fruit than 10 families could use! If these get going I may be looking for recipes,too. Right now we mostly eat pies and cobblers and make jam. There is always the sugar free recipes in the sure-jell box. Enjoy them.