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Parlee Farms

Peaches

Peach Season in Massachusetts is August ~ a staple of the summer harvest season!

The sign of a great peach is when, after biting into it, juice runs down your chin. This is the quality that we strive for in Parlee Farms peaches and nectarines. We have 15 varieties of freestone peaches and three varieties of nectarines that we harvest in August.  Our Massachusetts peaches are available for pick-your-own ~ nothing tastes better than a when you pick your own tree ripened peach! Our own peaches and nectarines are also available in our Farmstand.  If you love peaches, you will love our fresh picked peaches!

During the peach and nectarine season, details on pick-your-own hours and prices can be found at TODAY’S FARM NEWS.

Picking & Handling Tree Ripe Peaches

From UMass Extension Fruit Program:

It is not necessary to wait for peaches to soften before they are tree-ripe.

Here are a few pointers for picking tree-ripe peaches, and then for handling peaches when you get them home.

When picking peaches in the orchard:

  • look for the absence of green skin/background color – any green will have changed to yellow (or white if it is a white-flesh peach) when the peach is tree-ripe; if there is still some green skin, let the peach stay on the tree to ripen more.
  • bright red-orange skin color is a good sign of ripeness, however, it depends on the variety – some are very red-orange, some less so; a fully yellow/white background (no green) is still the best indicator of tree-ripeness on peaches that don’t have as much red-orange color.
  • IF you must squeeze the peach a bit to assess ripeness, don’t squeeze too hard, that will result in an unsightly bruise; be prepared to buy that peach you squeezed if it gives!
  • larger peaches ripen first and peaches in the tops of the trees also ripen first
  • a ripe peach will separate from the tree easily; if the peach is difficult to pick leave it on the tree to ripen longer.

Once you get your peaches home, here is the proper way to handle and fully ripen them:

  • Do not leave in any kind of plastic bag if that is what you picked into.
  • Do not put the peaches in the sun or a hot room or car trunk – they will not ripen evenly.
  • Do not put them in the refrigerator unless you want them not to ripen.
  • Put the peaches on newspaper in a single layer not touching each other.
  • Check to see as they start to soften by feeling them gently – don’t push hard on them or they will bruise.
  • When the fruit is soft, they are ripe and juicy, so ENJOY! Note this may take several days.
  • This applies to peaches, nectarines, and plums.