Sunday, July 25, 2010

Pounds and pounds of peaches!

On Saturday, my girlfriend called to tell me that her mom was going to get peaches and if I wanted her to get some for me, I should call her. So, OF COURSE, I did!

There is a farm that raises peaches, about 3 hours from where we live, but they have little stands in different towns and there is one that is an hour from us. I say stands, but they actually have an indoor shop in an outlet mall. They used to just sell off the back of the truck. Well, they do still sell some from the truck....a semi truck! They sell bushels and bushels!

Anyway, my friend's mom and I decided we would split a bushel and she said she would call me when they got home the next day.

When she called, I went over to get my 1/4 bushel of peaches and she had 2 half bushels sitting on her counter. She had decided they were so good, she wanted a lot. LOL! So we each got 1/2 bushel. She said I didn't have to take the whole thing if I didn't want it, but I DID! The price was great too. I paid $30 for the 1/2 bushel. I don't know what anyone else pays, but I know there are a LOT of peaches in this box and there is no way I could have gotten this many peaches for this price at the grocery store.

Aren't they pretty?!
When I got home, I washed the ripest ones and started peeling and slicing. I bit into a slice and OH MY GOD! It was the best peach I have had in YEARS! Seriously, they are amazing! I spent all afternoon peeling peaches and put 3 gallon bags full in the freezer. I ate a LOT of them. (Had to test them, right?) And I made a cobbler. Isn't it pretty?!

And I still have about 1/3 of the box to do tonight. They had a touch of green on them yesterday, so I wanted to wait until they were riper.

Oh, and I simmered the skins from yesterday to get the juice out to make peach jelly. How frugal is that!?

It was a peachy day. Oh, and Hubby looked at the cobbler and said, "I bet everyone wishes they were us." LOL! He is so funny.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Tell Hubs he's right, I wish I was there to eat some and for the great cobbler!

Sonya Ann said...

Hubby is right about so many things!!!
Our peaches are like apples here, they are horrible!!! When I was a kid, my dad took us to peach orchard and OMG! I was about 7 and I still remember it. My dad was from Alabama and was telling the owner how he wanted us to know what it was like to try a good peach. The owner took us to the trees, got a ladder and pick a peach. He pulled out his knife and cut it in half, my sister and I each got half and thirty years later I still remember it.
All I can say is you are so lucky!

Annie Jones said...

I haven't bought any peaches from the farm stands yet this year, but did buy Missouri-grown peaches in the grocery store for $1 per pound. Several websites say that a bushel of peaches weighs about 50 pounds. So I guess I could get half a bushel for $25, when they're on sale.

Your $30 is probably not out of line for good-tasting fresh peaches straight from the farm.

We've been eating our peaches out of hand, but I'm thinking of either making peach ice cream or peach-blueberry cobbler with what's left.

Frances said...

Hi, Marilyn! If you were here, I would make you some cobbler.

Frances said...

Hi, SonyaAnn. I have eaten a peach right off a tree and your dad was right....nothing compares. And the ones I got were right off the tree.

We could go pick peaches, but it is too freaking hot right now.

Frances said...

Hi, Annie Jones! I am really happy with my $30 price tag. My friend's dad said that they were told that the 1/2 bushel was 30 - 35 lbs. Maybe they cram more peaches in their boxes, I don't know. I also didn't weigh them when I got home.

My Kroger has peaches for $.88/lb this week, but I know they taste nothing like these I got yesterday.

My MIL regularly gets peaches at her Sellers for 2lbs/$1, but they are SMALL. I hate, hate, hate peeling tiny peaches. (She doesn't peel them, so thinks they are fine.

I checked a couple of local pick your own farms and I would have to pay $1 - $2 per pound. Yep, I am happy with my peaches.

Frances said...

And, Annie Jones, I may have to make some peach ice cream. Thanks for the idea! It would make Hubby really happy!

Annie Jones said...

I don't know where in Missouri the peaches were grown, but they've been quite good, especially for store bought. And large. There is a small orchard just outside of town; I'll be getting a few of theirs, also.

I really have no idea what peaches weigh per bushel, so I looked it up this morning. That's where I got my numbers. I would think it would depend on size and ratio of seed to flesh. Regardless, I agree you got a good buy.

I peel peaches to can them, but I don't peel them just to eat them fresh.

Frances said...

Hi, Annie Jones, I don't peel them to eat them either. Though I WAS eating quite a few peeled yesterday. LOL!

I imagine these just seem so good, since they are the first Texas peaches I have had in a while. Most of our stores have had peaches from Georgia and California. I think they are always better when they are not shipped from so far away. They can be picked riper.

I actually checked out the website of the farm that my peaches came from and they supply some of our local grocery stores. I just have to find it they supply any of the ones close to me.

Though, I don't guess I really need any more for a little while. LOL!

McVal said...

Oh yummy!
Oh! My hubby has an awesome recipe for peaches. We make this every memorial day... but it takes a bit of booze.
http://www.food.com/recipe/drunken-peach-cobbler-123798

Frances said...

McVal, that sounds delish, but so much EFFORT! LOL!

My cobbler is so easy and quick, I never even look for other recipes.

(I think I posted how I make it before. I will go look.)