I prefer to eat local food, sourced as close to the farm as possible: I get fresher food, I help support the nearby farming community, and it tastes amazing. Sometimes, though, I make exceptions. Let me tell you about my experience with peaches.
I heard about the Peach Truck from my friend Kirsten of Farm Fresh Feasts. The peaches are grown on Pearson Farm in Ft. Valley, GA, the oldest family owned and operated peach farm in that state. Those peaches are picked, boxed, and loaded onto a big truck, and driven northward. “Best peaches ever” she said.
Doing a little research, I found that the truck would make a stop fairly close to me (at least close as we in the Midwest define it). I drove 70 miles to meet the peach truck on its closest stop to me – and I plan to do it next year, too. Wowzers, are these great peaches! Kirsten, you were so right.
A philosophical question: can I still call this supporting local farming, if the produce comes to me? My purchase supports one single farm, one set of folks who are passionate about the best peaches ever. I think I can live with that.
I got busy in my kitchen, of course. 25 pounds of peaches is a lot of fruit! Of course I ate peaches with the juice dripping down my arm, and put some, sliced, over ice cream. Here’s what else I did with them. Remember that you don’t have to have a big box to make any one of these recipes! Some of them will only need 2 pounds of fruit. Whether you have only a few peaches or cascades of them, any of these recipes is a winner.
- Peach Jam (small batch) variation: add a bit of almond extract or brandy
- Quick Peach Tart
- Peach-Oolong Jelly (small batch)
- Peach-Oolong Butter, inspired by the above, but with whole fruit (small batch)
- Sweet & Spicy Peach Salsa from Farm Fresh Feasts
- A small but perfect peach cake (small batch)
- Lazy Vanilla Peach Butter in the slow cooker
- How to make jam (updated)
- Wrinkle test for jam
- Why I store my jars with no bands