'Tis the Season for Canning - Peaches

Peaches are in already here in Colorado! Wahoo! Chris has always raved about the Palisades peaches, and now we get to try them! But how do you know if a peach is good to eat? What variety is best? Today we are going to look at peaches - facts and picking tips.

Peaches

Yellow - most popular

White - personal favorite.  They are sweeter and taste more like a dessert.

Donut peaches (yellow or white) - the white donut peach is my very most absolute all time favorite!


Types of peaches

Freestone peaches - Flesh slips away from the pit easily

Cling peaches - The flesh does not separate from the pit

*Both freestone and cling are great for canning, it's simply that freestone peaches are easier to work with since the pit removes itself from the fruit saving you from having to dig it out of the flesh.


Varieties of peaches (good for canning)

Red Haven
Loring
Sun High
Fairhaven

*There are many other varieties, but these are the most popular varieties for canning.


Picking out peaches

Most of the time, peaches will smell good and if they smell good, then majority of the time, they taste good.

Pick out a peach that is heavy. This means the fruit has not begun to loose their moisture.

Avoid soft or mushy fruits unless you are specifically looking for peaches to use in jam.

Oftentimes, peaches will have dents due to squash bugs or stink bugs. There is nothing wrong with these peaches. They taste the same and better yet, they don't have pesticides all over them!


Measurements (raw)

About 2 medium peaches = 1 cup sliced peaches

About 3 medium peaches = 1 pound


Peachy fun! How to plant a peach pit

Clean the pit and store it in the refrigerator in a plastic bag until September or October

Place the pit about 5 inches beneath the soil

In the spring, the tree will start to grow and be visible by July

Keep the tree watered and fertilized and in 2 - 3 years, there will be fruit