FANCY GAP—Despite a rocky start to the season, Virginia’s peach growers are harvesting one of summer’s sweetest fruits, with juicy, ripe peaches filling market stands.
Virginia’s erratic spring weather and fluctuating temperatures disrupted the regular peach growing season for some farmers. In certain areas, frost damaged delicate blossoms while heavy rainfall in other regions spoiled ripening earlier peach varieties.
“The trees located upland on the mountains survived, but those lower in the frost zone are bare,” said Donald Ayers, a fourth-generation farmer who grows peaches on Ayers Orchard in Carroll County. “We’ve got about a 50% crop this year.”
But despite weather challenges and smaller crop, there’s still “plenty of peaches available right now,” said Ayers.
Growing over 20 varieties that ripen in succession from early July through Labor Day, Ayers keeps his market tables stocked throughout summer. His fresh peaches are sold directly on the farm and at farmers markets in Hillsville and Blacksburg, and in Greensville, North Carolina.
“We’re in Redhaven season right now,” Ayers said, referring to the sweet, juicy, yellow-flesh variety.
He also grows Majestic, Contender and Elberta, along with white peaches like Carolina Belle and China Pearl—a customer favorite because of its high sugar content and sweet flavor.
“Everyone wants the freestone peaches, especially for canning,” Ayers commented, noting their easy-to-remove pits.
In Prince Edward County, Walter Glascock of Glascock Orchard also faced some weather woes.
“The early peaches didn’t do so well because the hot weather and all the rain we got, which caused some brown rot problems,” Glascock explained. “But my late peaches are doing very good.”
The orchard grows several varieties that start ripening in early June. Those that ripen early are clingstone, while mid- to late-season varieties are freestone and tend to be larger in size, Glascock said.
Selling peaches at Farmville Farmers Market and Clay’s Garden Center & Farm Market in Blackstone, Glascock said that while his crop isn’t as robust as expected, customer demand remains strong. So strong that he had to temporarily pause U-Pick until more peaches ripen.
“People poured into our orchard a couple days before July 4th,” he said. “We thought we were going to be open through the holiday weekend but closed early” because they were nearly picked clean.
A beloved summer staple, peaches are as popular as ever, and farmers are ensuring there are plenty to enjoy across the commonwealth. According to the 2022 U.S. Census of Agriculture, nearly 500 farms grow peaches across 1,300 acres—a 26% increase from 2017’s census numbers.
With August’s National Peach Month right around the corner, consumers can celebrate by whipping up peach ice cream, peach pie or a peach and tomato salad. Or, just bite right into a fresh-picked peach.
“They’re tree-ripe and sweet,” Ayers said. “You can’t beat it.”
Media: Contact Ayers at 276-733-6336 or Glascock at 434-390-6397.
