Tuesday, July 22, 2014

More Blackberries & Sandhill Plums Ripening

   'Triple Crown' thornless blackberries are ripening now, along with 'Apache' and a few 'Ouachita' blackberries.  'Natchez', our earliest blackberry variety, is almost done now, but the others will continue ripening until Aug. 16 or 18.  We are irrigating the blackberry rows, so blackberries are still large and juicy despite the high heat and drought. 
'Triple Crown' thornless blackberries are ripening now, and will continue ripening until Aug. 16 or 18.
   We have only 20% the amount of our usual thornless blackberry crop due to extensive cold damage to the fruiting canes last winter, so you still need to call 620-597-2450 to set a day and time to pick blackberries. We sell them pick-your-own only, for $2.55 per quart + tax pick-your-own.
   A few everbearing red raspberries and yellow raspberries are ripening now until about Oct. 15 or so.  Black raspberries and purple raspberries are done for the season.
   Sandhill plums will keep ripening until about Aug. 4 or 5.  Sandhill plums are small and very tart, so not for fresh eating, but make wonderful jams, jellies and sauces.  Sandhill plums are $2.55 per quart + tax pick-your-own, and are sold pick-your-own only.

Many sandhill plums are ripe now until about Aug. 4 or 5.
   We have NO peach crop this year, since winter cold killed all the peach fruit buds.  Instead of harvesting peaches, our crew is spending a couple weeks on summer pruning of peach trees this year.  With no peach crop, branches can grow 6 feet or more in a season, and need to be cut back to keep the trees from growing too tall or wide, so next year's peach crop can be harvested.
Our crew is summer pruning peach trees this year, to keep the trees from growing too tall or wide, so next year's peach crop can be harvested.
   We still have some cracked pecans for sale for the next few weeks, during our open hours.  From June 1 to Aug. 31, we're open Mon. to Sat. 7:30 a.m. to 12 noon & 7-9 p.m., and Sun. 7-9 p.m. only.  We're closed Sun. mornings for church, and closed every afternoon from 12 noon to 7 p.m. due to high summer heat.