Peaches

Tree-ripened peaches are juicy and fragrant, a true taste of an Alabama summer. We grow ours without synthetic pesticides in Lineville, Alabama and pick at peak ripeness. They're a good source of vitamins A and C. Sold fresh through local Alabama delivery, farm pickup, and our farmers-market stand.

• Grown in: Lineville, Alabama (no synthetic pesticides)
• Freshness: Harvested at peak and sold fresh
• Availability: Seasonal - local Alabama delivery & pickup
• Storage: Refrigerate and enjoy fresh
• Why it's good: Nutrient-dense and picked at peak freshness

• Storage: Shoulders down at room temperature until fragrant and yielding, then refrigerated
• Shelf life: 2 to 3 days once ripe; a firm peach needs a day or two on the counter first
• Washing: Rinse and rub the fuzz off right before eating, never before storing.
• Using: Raw at room temperature, which is when the aroma is fullest. Cold peach tastes like half a peach. Then: cobbler, grilled halves, or sliced and frozen for winter.

Why does a refrigerated peach go mealy?
Chilling injury. Below about 40°F a firm peach's cell walls break down in a way that turns the flesh dry and cottony instead of juicy, and the damage is permanent. Ripen on the counter first and only refrigerate a peach that is already soft.

Room temperature or cold to eat?
Room temperature, every time. The volatile compounds that make a peach smell like a peach barely register when the fruit is cold. Pull it out twenty minutes before you want it.

How do I ripen one faster?
Put it in a paper bag on the counter. Peaches release ethylene and the bag holds it around the fruit. Add an apple or banana and it goes faster still.