Frost Threatens Peach Crop

   Most of our peach trees are in full bloom now.  This past winter, temperatures dropped to -8 F, which killed most peach fruit buds on some of our peach varieties, so they are not blooming and will not have a crop this year.  The 'Newhaven' peach crop was wiped out by winter cold, as were 'Blazingstar', 'Glowingstar', and the rest of the "Stellar Peaches" with 'star' in the name.

These 'Contender' peach trees still had many blooms with live pistils yesterday afternoon. Sat. morning is predicted to go down to 22 F, so I pray that we will still have a partial peach crop on them after that.

   Our winter-hardiest peach varieties -- 'Intrepid', 'Contender', 'Carolina Gold', and 'China Pearl' -- still have enough remaining live blossoms for a good peach crop, if we make it through this Sat. morning April 7 without excessive damage.  Yesterday morning, Wed. April 4, the temperature dipped to 25 F here.  I checked the blooming peach trees that afternoon, and most blooms still had live pistils, the flower part that produces the fruit.  Sat. morning is predicted to go down to 22 F, which will cause much more damage.  I am praying that we will still have a partial peach crop on our winter-hardiest peach varieties.
   We still have many apples and pecans for sale now.  Just phone 620-597-2450 a day in advance, and leave a message on the answering machine saying your name and the day and approximate time you're coming to get them, so I can look for you.  When I'm pruning raspberry plants or apple trees at the back of the planting, I can't always see or hear vehicles come in if people haven't called a day ahead so I can expect them.
   Our #1 apples, with no damage, sell just as fast as I sort them.  Small amounts of harvested apples cost $1.30 per pound + tax.  A 20-lb. box of #1 apples costs $25.00 + tax ($1.25 per pound + tax), which saves $1.00 off the per-pound price.  I sort apples into two plastic bags per box, so you can get a mixed box of one bag each of 'Enterprise' and 'GoldRush' apples, and still get the 20-lb. discount.

We still have many apples for sale now. The green boxes each hold 20 pounds of #1 apples, with no damage. The front box is 'GoldRush' and the next box back is 'Enterprise'. The blue box holds 20 pounds of #2 apples, with minor surface damage. It is a mixed box of one bag each of #2 'Enterprise' and #2 'GoldRush' apples.

   We have many 2nds apples, with small cracks, cork spots, hail damage, or other surface damage.  These are great for baking, slicing for salads, or for making applesauce or apple butter.  Usually 95% to 99% of each fruit is still usable, but they're 70% or less the cost, at $0.93 per pound + tax for less than 20 pounds and $0.88 per pound + tax for 20 pounds.  We've reduced the price on 40 lb. or more of 2nds apples.  When you buy two or more boxes, each 20-lb. box of 2nds apples costs just $16.67 + tax ($0.83 per pound + tax), so that's $33.34 + tax  for 40 lbs. of 2nds apples.
   We're still selling our last and largest pecan variety, 'Pawnee'.  We sell our papershell pecans in 4-pound bags that contain at least 75% pecan kernels, so you get the equivalent of at least 6 pounds of in-shell pecans in each bag.  These pecans are very fast and easy to pick out, and when you pick out the pecans, you get over 3 pounds of nutmeats.  The price on pecans is $16.67 per 4-pound bag + tax.  Pecans keep well in your freezer for up to 3 years.

We still have enough 'Pawnee' pecans for about 160 bags, and we'll have cracked pecans for sale until we sell out, probably till mid- to late May.

   Asparagus harvest should start about April 16, whenever the weather warms up.  Asparagus is sold harvested, still for $2.78 per pound + tax, and is limited, so you do need to phone 620-597-2450 a day ahead and order it. 

The redbud trees that I planted along our driveway 22 years ago are in beautiful bloom now. These are right opposite the sales building.

   We're still open by appointment until May 31.  The phone rings in the house, so I'll get your message when I come in from working in the the sales building or orchard.  Then I'll meet you in the sales building when you arrive here.  (Don't wait to call until you're on your way here, or I probably won't get your message before you arrive here.)
   You can make an appointment for between 9:00 and 11:45 a.m. or between 1:00 and 5:15 p.m. Mon. to Sat., and between 1:30 and 5:15 p.m. Sundays.  We're closed every Sunday morning, year-round, for church.