Posted on 07/08/2015 3:09:12 PM PDT by Mariner
The famed Fay Elberta peach has arrived. For weeks, fans of this fuzzy, old-time yellow peach have eagerly awaited its fine texture, sweet and somewhat spicy aroma, and its rich flavor.
Adding to the anticipation, cooler than normal weather pushed the peach's harvest back a week or two. Several farms are still at least a week away from picking. Farmers won't pick these tender peaches until they have achieved their maximum sweetness and distinctive red blush.
Fresno farmer Mary Lou Hurtado's customers have rapidly been filling her voice mail, wanting to know when her peaches will be ready. She runs a fruit stand on Dower Avenue, just west of Highway 99.
"I am not kidding when I say that I have more than 100 messages," said Hurtado, of Peach on Earth Farms. "People really like this peach."
(Excerpt) Read more at fresnobee.com ...
If you can keep the trees watered.
I have but one backyard tree, I thinned at least a thousand small fruit in early May, another 300 or so mid-June.
Today I took at least another 50 and put them on the ground leaving somewhere between 75 and 150 peaches.
And brought one beautiful specimen in the house to ripen.
Is anyone out there familiar with this peach? It grows anywhere very warm with enough irrigation, but not suitable for summer rains as it not very fungus resistant.
Ver tender a prone to bruise/spoil.
And, THE VERY BEST PEACH IN THE UNIVERSE.
I’m sorry, you have never had a Calhoun county Cresthaven peach. Softball-sized, sweet, so juicy you need a bib.
Elbertas are best canned in heavy syrup.
The batch of peaches I got from Costco (SoCal) yesterday were spectacular. Not sure of the source.
Gotta love produce this time of year.
Are they better than a Mackinaw peach?
I suspect I can as we produce more peaches than anyone except the Chinese.
Yeah, they came from there 5000 years ago.
Oh, and that's a perfect description for the Elberta.
Just saying.
VERY big and VERY sweet/juicy with that perfect tang.
Nobody wastes Elbertas by canning them unless that's the only way they can save them for later:)
“Can’t taste ‘em, why waste ‘em?”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.