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Parlee Farms

Peaches

August brings one of the sweetest traditions of the New England harvest season—peach season at Parlee Farms. As summer reaches its peak, our orchard fills with the irresistible aroma of tree-ripened peaches and nectarines, ready to be enjoyed fresh from the farm.

To us, the true sign of a perfect peach is simple: one bite and the sweet juice runs down your chin. That’s the kind of flavor and freshness we work hard to grow each season. With 15 varieties of freestone peaches and three varieties of nectarines ripening throughout August, there’s always a delicious harvest waiting in the orchard.

There’s nothing quite like picking your own sun-warmed peach straight from the tree. Guests are invited to wander the orchard and experience the simple pleasure of selecting perfectly ripe fruit at its peak. The result is a flavor that can only come from fruit harvested at just the right moment.

For those who prefer to stop by the Farmstand, our freshly picked peaches and nectarines are harvested daily and ready to take home. Whether you’re enjoying them fresh, baking a favorite family recipe, or sharing them around the table, these summer treasures capture the very best of the season.

If you’re a peach lover, you’ll discover why August is such a special time at Parlee Farms—where every peach is grown with care and picked at the height of its sweetness.

During the peach and nectarine season, details on pick-your-own hours and prices can be found at TODAY’S FARM NEWS.

Picking & Handling Tree Ripe Peaches

From UMass Extension Fruit Program:

It is not necessary to wait for peaches to soften before they are tree-ripe.

Here are a few pointers for picking tree-ripe peaches, and then for handling peaches when you get them home.

When picking peaches in the orchard:

  • look for the absence of green skin/background color – any green will have changed to yellow (or white if it is a white-flesh peach) when the peach is tree-ripe; if there is still some green skin, let the peach stay on the tree to ripen more.
  • bright red-orange skin color is a good sign of ripeness, however, it depends on the variety – some are very red-orange, some less so; a fully yellow/white background (no green) is still the best indicator of tree-ripeness on peaches that don’t have as much red-orange color.
  • IF you must squeeze the peach a bit to assess ripeness, don’t squeeze too hard, that will result in an unsightly bruise; be prepared to buy that peach you squeezed if it gives!
  • larger peaches ripen first and peaches in the tops of the trees also ripen first
  • a ripe peach will separate from the tree easily; if the peach is difficult to pick leave it on the tree to ripen longer.

Once you get your peaches home, here is the proper way to handle and fully ripen them:

  • Do not leave in any kind of plastic bag if that is what you picked into.
  • Do not put the peaches in the sun or a hot room or car trunk – they will not ripen evenly.
  • Do not put them in the refrigerator unless you want them not to ripen.
  • Put the peaches on newspaper in a single layer not touching each other.
  • Check to see as they start to soften by feeling them gently – don’t push hard on them or they will bruise.
  • When the fruit is soft, they are ripe and juicy, so ENJOY! Note this may take several days.
  • This applies to peaches, nectarines, and plums.