You’re a Real Peach: Peach Facts

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| Originally Published: July 30, 2023

Peaches

In the height of summer, nothing beats the heat like a locally grown peach. Though Tennessee doesn’t grow as many as Georgia and South Carolina, you can still find some at local farms. Here are a few peachy farm facts. Celebrate National Peach Month this August with these fascinating peach facts, plus tips for determining when your peaches are ripe and baking measurements.

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Peach Facts

  • The fuzzy peach is actually a member of the rose family and originated in China.
  • You can buy two main varieties of peaches: clingstone (the flesh sticks to the stone) and freestone (the stone is easily separated from the flesh).
  • You can ripen peaches by placing them in a brown paper bag for two to three days. Sliced, fresh peaches should be tossed in lemon or lime juice to prevent browning.
  • The juice from peaches makes a great moisturizer, and it can be found in many brands of cosmetics.
  • The term, “you’re a real peach” originated from the tradition of giving a peach to the friend you liked.
  • There are over 700 varieties of peaches. Some Chinese varieties are even flat like hockey pucks.
  • The World’s Largest Peach is located in Gaffney, South Carolina, and weighs over 10,000 pounds. The city of Gaffney, near Greenville, built this water tower in the shape of a peach back in 1981.
  • China is the largest producer of peaches, followed by Italy.
  • A large peach has fewer than 70 calories and contains 3 grams of fiber. It’s also a good source of vitamins A and C.
  • The World’s Largest Peach Cobbler is made every year in Georgia, which is known as the Peach State. That cobbler measures 11 feet by 5 feet.
  • Peaches are best from June to the end of August.
  • There are over 300 varieties of peaches produced in the U.S.
  • The U.S. grows more than 1.9 billion pounds of peaches each year.
  • Peaches are an excellent source of fiber, good for blood sugar and naturally fat-free.
  • Peaches are packed with several major nutrients, including vitamin A (beta-carotene), vitamin C and potassium.
  • August is National Peach Month.
  • The term “you’re a real peach” originated from the tradition of giving a peach to the friend you liked.

Sources: Farm Flavor

See more: How to Prune Peach Trees

How to Tell If It’s Ripe

When attached to the tree

Peaches are best picked when the fruit separates easily from the twigs. If it is hard to pull off the tree, it isn’t ripe. Peaches will not ripen further once removed from the tree.

Consider the color

Green is definitely unripe, but you can’t use red color as an indicator of how ripe a peach is. Different peach varieties have differing amounts of red blush in their natural coloring. Pick them when the ground color changes from green to yellow, orange, red (or a combination). The skin of yellow-fleshed varieties ripens to an orange tint, while the skin of white-fleshed varieties changes from greenish- to yellow-white.

Feel for softness

Unless you like your peaches very firm, pick your peaches with just a little give when gently pressed. Peaches at this stage are great for eating, freezing and baking.

Smell the fruit

Ripe peaches should have a sweet smell.

See more: 10 Peach Recipes for Summer

Baking Tips:

How do the peaches measure up? Here’s a quick estimation of peach measurements you can use when baking that delicious peach pie:

  • About 2 medium peaches = 1 cup sliced peaches
  • About 4 medium peaches = 1 cup pureed peaches
  • About 3 medium peaches = 1 pound of peaches

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