Peachy Pick-Me-Up

Peaches and apricots picked at their peak of ripeness are some of the most delicious fruits of summer. We have both peach and apricots trees and the trick to have a bountiful crop is to pick trees that fit your climate.

Our apricot tree has had only a few years of a bumper crop. Apricots primarily mature in early summer making them on of the earliest available summer fruits. Our apricot trees seems to always bloom early with only a few days of warmth. We inevitably have a string of warm days in March which triggers blooming of our tree followed by a mild freeze which damages the delicate blooms. Our tree would be better suited growing in a more southern region where freezes do not occur as late as April. We are hopeful however, each year we will have a good crop of apricots for making preserves and jams. Apricots can be canned, frozen, or dried in a dehydrator as well. Of course a fresh ripe apricot is hard to beat!

Our peach tree has given us many large harvests of peaches. Peach trees can bloom relatively early in the spring as well however, our trees seem to need a much longer string of warm days before blooming begins. There are peach trees which are more cold tolerant. Peach trees need a decent amount of heat for their fruit to ripen appropriately. This year with the early heat we had, our peaches have already ripened fully. They usually ripen from late June through July and August. With peaches is it important to harvest them at the RIGHT time.

Whether there’re fresh, canned dried or frozen peaches and apricots can easily be included in a healthy diet.

Below are some tips on making jams and preserves.

Preserve your fruit! It is easy to make homemade jams and preserves. You will enjoy them year round—free from additives and chemicals

Jams use mashed up fruit …Preserves use whole or large pieces of fruit. Both of them are easier and more economical to make than jelly. Jelly is made from just the juice. Both are very good when homemade.

Wash

Wash and remove the stems and cores. (I peel my fruit by dipping them in boiling water.)

Mash or Cut

Remember for jams mash fruit or cut in small pieces: for preserves, use whole fruit or large pieces.

Small Batches

Make jam or preserve in small batches. Large batches will take longer to cook and the color and flavor will not be as good.

Add Sugar

For every cup of fruit you use, add ¾ cup of sugar. Four cups of fruit is a good amount and manageable so you would need 3 cups of sugar per batch. (Unless recipe you use specifies otherwise.)

I use this tool to translate a piece of fruit to the number of cups.

Stir

Stir your mixture often to prevent scorching. This will ruin a yummy batch of jam or preserves.

Test

To test your jam or preserve to see if it is done, take a small amount out of your pot and if it holds it shape it should be ready to jar. Be sure to cook to a rolling boil.

A gift of homemade jam or preserves from your own kitchen is so welcomed by all. Now that you are a little more familiar with making jams and preserves try your favorite recipe.

If you are looking for a great recipe, I encourage you try my grandmother’s amazing peach pie recipe below! Happy baking!

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“The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses.” ~ Hanna Rion