Just Peachy

Georgia may be CALLED the Peach State, but South Carolina IS the Peach State. South Carolina ships approximately 90,000 tons of the fuzzy fruit a year from approximately 18,000 acres of South Carolina peach orchards, compared with Georgia’s 40,000 tons. The Palmetto State is second only to California in peach production.

Native to China, peaches were introduced to North America by the Spanish in the 1600s. Over a century later, William Ravenel of Aiken, gave birth to an agricultural tradition with his first commercial peach shipment.

The peach crop is now such an important part of South Carolina’s economy that the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service even has a Peach Team, dedicated to researching how to keep pests at bay and how to use new technologies to protect the growing crop

PEACHY PARTICULARS

TYPES:

There are three types of peaches that are available at different times in the growing season: clingstone, semi-freestone and freestone.

Clingstone peaches are the first available in the growing season (mid-May to mid-June). The peach flesh sticks or clings to the pit (sometimes called a stone). The name is self-explanatory.

Next available in the season (mid-June to mid-July) is the Semi-freestone. This is a hybrid variety. The peach flesh sticks to the pit but, the riper the peach the easier it becomes to pull the fruit away from the stone.

At the latter part of the growing season (late July to mid-August), the Freestone is available. This type of peach cleanly pulls away from the pit. This one is the darling of home canners for obvious reasons.

COLOR:

There are two colors but the differences between the two extend beyond what you see.

Yellow peaches have a longer shelf life, and the most common kind found in grocery stores.

White peaches are usually sweeter and less acidic than their yellow counterparts, but the downside is a much shorter shelf life.

VARIETIES:

There are over 300 varieties of peaches grown in the United States with South Carolina growing over 50 on 273 peach farms spanning 20,500 acres across the state. Ridge Spring, SC is home to Titan Farms, the largest peach producer on the East Coast.

Some of the most common varieties are:

Cling:  Gold Prince, Gala

Semi-freestone: Blaze Prince

Freestone: Summer Gold, Cresthaven, Winblo, O’Henry, Big Red

PICKING THE PERFECT PEACH

While all this information is interesting, when it comes right down to it, picking the perfect peach is really what it’s all about. Use your senses when seeking peach perfection – sight, touch and smell.

• Check the label to make sure your peach is grown in South Carolina. That’s your guarantee that you’re getting the freshest fruit available.
• Don’t judge a book by its cover and don’t judge a peach by its reddish color. The South Carolina Peach Council says look for skin that has a soft, yellowish hue. Any green areas indicate that the peach is not yet ripe.
• Your nose knows. A sweet peachy fragrance is a persuasive clue when you are seeking peach perfection.
• Feel your way. Choose a peach that is “firm-ripe.” It’s firm but gives slightly when pressed. You can certainly eat a firm-ripe peach, but for the ultimate flavor (and greatest health benefit), allow your peach to sit on the counter until it is softer and “dead-ripe.” Refrigerate peaches only after they are dead-ripe.

Peaches pack a potent punch when it comes to nutrition. They are chock full of vitamins C, A and E (the riper the peach, the more antioxidants it contains) as well as iron, potassium, fluoride and fiber. Today, you can find South Carolina peaches in wines, jams, preserves, salsa, chutney, ice cream, pies and cobblers. No matter how you prefer your peaches, South Carolina peach growers provide the best to choose from.

And if you’re in the market for a peach of a home, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hilton Head Bluffton Realty can provide you with the best choices the Lowcountry has to offer.