About Me

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Recent retiree--35 year's experience teaching reading, English, adult basic education and volunteer leadership skills. Started this blog to exchange ideas and commentary with friends and others having an interest in joining the discussions. Greatest life accomplishments include: 1.organized my 3rd grade class to check out library books for me to get around librarian's weekly limit--Amazon.com, the Mullins Elementary 3rd Grade Class of 1956 is still waiting for "thank you" notes; 2. volunteered in the Peace Corps, island of St. Kitts, West Indies; 3.taught adults to read, earn their GEDs., and speak English as a second language; 4. bought a border collie puppy for $6, got evicted rather than give him up, and began a life-long love affair with all things "Dog"; 5. joined a physical fitness boot camp in my mid-50s--don't mess with someone who's been doing regulation pushups in wet grass at 5:30 a.m.; 6. walked across Northern England with best friend Sally--over 80 miles from the Irish to North Seas; and 7. travelled to many foreign countries for pleasure and work.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Peach Roadtrip


Fun Monday July 10 Topic--We're talkin' peaches here. Not that these red-golden orbs of deliciousness are growing in my garden, but I do know where the best ones are to be had within driving distance. Karmyn, our Fun Monday host this week from over at Dreaming What Ifs , wants to know what's growing in our garden. Well Karmyn, the quick answer on Summit Court is "nothing" unless you count lawn grass (entirely too much), some ornamental grass or a couple of huge hostas. So, I'll have to follow the proud Fun Monday tradition of stretching the rules in order to participate this week. We'll head south of Louisville on I-65 to Jackson's Orchard near Bowling Green where the best peaches in the state are ripe and ready to eat--about a two and a half hour roadtrip.

For the past two weeks my roadtrip partner Kittyhawk and I had been studying the peach ripening schedule on Jackson Orchard's website to time our trip for when the best peaches, in our opinion, would be ripe. We were looking for anything that had "haven" in the name--preferably Cresthaven. The "Havens" or any of the other redskin yellow freestone varieties are tops on our list. That's been the case for many years. Kittyhawk grew up in Bowling Green and I started making these peach roadtrips with her when we became friends and work partners over 30 years ago. We worked for the state department of education and always welcomed a chance to do some teacher in service training that brought us close to Jackson's Orchard in peach season. According to the '09 harvest schedule there are new varieties with promising names like Blushing Star, Redskin, or Contender. There's even some new white freestone options. Kittyhawk and I sampled some of the new varieties, but loaded up the trunk of her car with Cresthavens--enough for ourselves and sharing with friends and family.

Jackson's Orchard sets up on a high hill, the highest point in Warren County. The farm market is nestled in the middle of the orchards of apples and peaches, other fruits and vegetable gardens. The orchard/farm store is a part of Kentucky's agri-tourism initiative. These businesses specialize in fresh fruits and produce and, in addition, give city folk a taste of the country good life. Families can bring their children to the farm to pick their own fruits, go on hayrides, pet farm animals, or select their own pumpkins. The day we were at the orchard we were amused to find a large striped cat lounging in a cardboard box on the checkout counter. The box was labeled "cat box"! A big chocolate lab, Jake, lay in the aisle and cheerfully accepted petting from the customers. That is, if you didn't mind a little pond scum. When I spoke with Jake I believe he had just cooled off in the pond.

Gilding the Peach--as if these ripe, juicy fruits would need any help except a quick wash and peel, if you must. But in case you wanted to combine them with some freshly picked farm blueberries, butter, and sugar you could make a classic southern dessert in a few minutes--Blueberry Peach Cobbler. This recipe was on the checkout counter by the blueberries.

So, as we head into fall I hope you're enjoying the fruits and vegetables grown on your own land or bought from local farmers. While you're at it, start some traditions like a peach roadtrip. In a few hours on the road you can catch up with a friend and bring home some peaches like none you'll eat at any other time of the year.

Now keep Fun Monday going by sharing your gardening stories and checking out other Fun Monday participants.

(Photos of schedule, Jackson's Orchard, and cobbler recipe all are from their website. Click on images to embiggen.)

15 comments:

karisma said...

Those peaches look lovely! I hope mine grow so nicely! At the moment I just have the lovely pink flowers! LOL!

Happy fun Monday, hugs and smoochies xxxx

Gattina said...

Peaches are one of my favourite fruits ! I just bought some yesterday on the market and they are delicious.

To your question about hedges. Yes each house here has hedges, bushes or fences or both around the property. People don't like to see into the neighbor's garden and everybody protects its privacy. When I first went to the States in 1971 I was so surprised that the gardens had no, or only very little fences and I could see all the neighbors around my aunt's house in Madison Wisc. No privacy at all !

Pamela said...

I made a blueberry cobbler this weekend. I'm going to go halvies with peaches next week just to see what it is like.

I've seen some pretty nice peaches at the fruit stand this week. I notice that the wasps like them, too.

Hootin Anni said...

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm peaches. I just bought some Georgia grown peaches. And I can't wait to 'dive' in!! They're so good.

...so, what's growing in my yard is totally colorless. LOL

Happy F M

m (the misanthrope) said...

OMG...Blueberry Peach Cobbler? When can I come over? (I've been shamelessly inviting myself to various dinners and desserts all over the place recently, with these food-a-licious Fun Mondays!)

Wonderful post and great road trip story to boot, thank you my friend!

Jan n Jer said...

Thanks for the very informative info about picking out the best peaches. It is always a great time to go right to the farm and get fresh produce. We usually do this in the fall for pumpkins,apples and cider. The peach/blueberry recipe looks delish and very easy, I will have to try it. Thanks for sharing Faye and enjoy those peaches...yum

Sayre said...

I love a good, fresh peach!! Our blueberry season is over - the two don't coincide here, but Georgia (the PEACH State) is close by. May have to make a trek north for the sole purpose of peaches!!!

Jill said...

we got some recently, they were supposed to be havens but they said empire on the box i think. is that another kind?

KittyHawk said...

I haven't made that recipe yet, have you, Faye? I'm still using my favorite recipe - stand over the sink and eat the peach like an apple. The sink is necessary so the sweet juice has a place to land when it drips off your elbows!

Faye said...

karisma--you'll remember to post photos of your peach crop when it's summer in Aussieland?

gattina--in our suburbs we could do with less grass to mow and tall hedges to make good neighbors as you do in Belgium.

pamela--I haven't actually tried this peach-blueberry cobbler, but it looked tempting and smart marketing. The combo is right for sure.

BTW, I loved your little garden ghost and you have an abundant garden. Today was one of those days when I couldn't get a comment to go through on your blog--sorry. Will try again.

anni--you're getting peaches from the second best place--Georgia. Jackson's will alway be #1, though. :-)

misanthrope--when I make the P & BB Cobbler you're most welcome if you'll bring Maryland crabs as a hostess gift!

janis--these farmstands are a great boon to farming business--gets the customers to the farms when everything is its freshest. The outings are so memorable for the whole family.

sayre--handsome brother could meet you on the GA-FL border with a trunkload of GA peaches?

lil mouse--empire? Not a variety that I'm familiar with. In your part of the country this variety may be more adaptable to the weather. In the Ohio Valley we often get late frosts which nip the fruit buds so a late producer is better for us. Hopefully your farm stand gives out samples. Hate to buy what you don't like.

kittyhawk--exactly. Stand at the sink and eat peaches in the morning while the coffee heats up. Am liking the peach and blueberry combo though--but straight up w/o the butter and sugar!

Living Life said...

Oh my goodness Faye - that photo of the peaches made me drool. Isn't it fun to go to an orchard and pick fruit fresh off the tree? We usually go to a local orchard to pick apples in the Fall.

Thanks for the wonderful blueberry peach cobble recipe. It looks delicious!

m (the misanthrope) said...

Hi my friend! To answer your question - yep, I do haul my tushie out of the sack at 4am Monday-Friday. It takes us a while to get all the animals up (fed, watered, cages cleaned, litter scooped etc.), and then we have to feed and clothe ourselves.

I get to work around 6:30am, and leave at 3pm. It's a hideous time to get up but it helps us beat the traffic...plus, I like having most of the afternoon to myself.

Hee, I cannot WAIT for retirement!! 4am bedtime, here I come!

Janice said...

Speaking as one of the lucky recipients of the bounty I have to say, "Dem was good eatin'!"

These delicious red-skinned freestones take me back to my Nanaw's. She had a peach tree in her backyard where she would gather a granite pan full of fruit. (Watch out for the yellow jackets!) She would stand at the kitchen sink peeling and quartering, one for my brother, one for me--over and over again! Unlike Kittyhawk we couldn't eat them like apples since you never knew who you'd find inside!

Molly said...

I can almost taste the delicious peaches by reading your post and looking at your pictures.

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