Sweet Grown Alabama Blogs

Nothing completes a summertime fruit basket quite like a Sweet Grown Alabama peach. If you have ever traveled I-65 south to the beach, then you’ve seen the mark of the peach capital of the state; the peach water tower off exit 212 in Chilton County. Farmers from Madison to Geneva counties grow this fuzzy fruit, which is now ready for consumers to devour statewide.

After a barren season last year due to a hard frost, the 2024 Alabama peach season fulfilled the promise of a bountiful harvest when the sweet and juicy fruit made its return to farmers market stands in mid-May. To ensure a good harvest that lasts through August, farmers plant dozens of varieties of peaches, with each variety producing fruit for 7-10 days.

The earlier in the season, the clingier the stone, meaning the pit of the peach is harder to pull away from the flesh. The early weeks of June produce a variety with less clingy stones, allowing for the flesh and skin of the peach to pull away easier. The very popular freestone varieties can be found starting in late June.

According to owner and operator of Boozer Farms in Chilton County, Taylor Hatchett, the conditions leading up to this season have been ideal which will allow consumers to expect a good size, quality and flavorful fruit.

“We’ve had a wonderful volume of really high quality and super flavorful peaches,” said Hatchett.

Sweet Grown Alabama peaches can be purchased from farmers markets, stores or directly from the farms themselves. Some farms offer roadside stands or u-pick orchards. Select “peaches” from the drop-down menu at SweetGrownAlabama.org/find-sweet-grown to find locally grown peaches near you!

To ensure the consumer gets a ripe peach, the fruit is harvested and sold before it is fully ripe. This typically means that when purchased the fruit might appear lighter in color and hard. Once you bring the peach home, the keep is rather simple.

You can store peaches on the countertop for a few days allowing them to ripen. To speed up the process, you can store them in a brown paper bag. To know when a peach is fully ripe you will need to watch for color development. When the color is darker and the texture is soft, your peach is ready to enjoy.

If you plan to eat your peaches several days after bringing them home, consider storing them in the fridge to ensure they ripen more slowly. Peaches also keep in the freezer, but it is recommended to cut them up when ripe and store them in a freezer safe bag or container. Once thawed, the peaches will be soft and mushy so they are best in smoothies, purees and jams.

Click here to find recipes made with Sweet Grown Alabama peaches.