Peach Picking

Last Sunday we went peach picking with the Yalins.  I joined a fruit CSA from Frog Hollow Farm and they sent out an invite for this peach picking event at their farm, which is about an hour away from where we live.  We had a really great time. 

Everyone there was so friendly. When we first arrived, Gabriela got her scavenger hunt paper and was ready to spot bees and spiders and ladybugs and butterflies at the farm.  

They had a tasting table for us to sample all the different preserves they make at the farm.  There were compotes, jams, olive oil, chutneys, granola, and even cookies.  Everything was amazing.  After we left that table we came to this little gem of deliciousness:

 Three giant rows of fruit drying.  The farm staff told us to sample as much of each variety as we wanted.  And, let me tell you, there were a lot.  Some fruit was just starting to dry, so it was super soft, still juicy, but a little crisp on the outside and toasty warm from the sunshine.  Easton was even a fan.

 Just look at that beautiful fruit!

 Daddy and Gabriela are checking off items on her scavenger hunt.  When she turned in her paper, she was rewarded for her hard work spotting things with a giant fresh peach popsicle. I may have stolen a bite or two, and it was just as tasty as everything else we sampled there.

 Most of the peaches on the trees were still hard, and they soften within a few days.  But I stuck to picking ones that had fallen from the trees already. I figured those ones would really be ripe.  We were lucky to find some super tender peaches to feast on right then and there. 

 She got right to business tasting the peaches she found and picked herself.  She was really proud of herself. 

It was the sweetest thing seeing her wander through the rows of the orchard in search of the perfect peach, and then presenting us with the "best peach ever".  I'm not going to lie, it made me daydream about having our own farm for her to play in.

 Rowan was very excited that the farm had trees that were actually growing balls.  He threw some peaches and ate some too.  We enjoyed some during our serious picnic, which I wish I had photographed.  I cooked some barbeque chicken that morning and made an herb-vinaigrette potato salad.  We had green salad, olives, watermelon, rosemary almonds, some homemade Turkish pastries, lentil salad, and more.  The peaches tasted like peach pie filling, they were so sweet and delicious.

Rowan kissing Easton

On our way back, we couldn't resist sampling more of the dried fruit goodness, we bought our peaches, and also some nectarine plum compote. yum.  Gabriela said she was the "luckiest kid ever" and that she had so much fun on the way home. 

The farm staff said they will have another event in the fall, and I am totally bringing our family back! 

Heather signed up for the fruit CSA too, and I got a jar of Burnt Caramel Sauce as a thank you for referring her. I can't wait to try that stuff with vanilla ice cream.

We have already finished our pie.  We shared some, but who am I kidding, we ate most of it ourselves.  Still have lots of peaches and got more in our fruit box. Time for more baking.   yum.