Happy Wednesday all! I hope you are all enjoying the week so far. As usual each month, I can't believe where the days have flown by. How are we already halfway through the year? It feels as though 2019 just started!
Well, I keep doing my best to take each day as it comes and enjoy taking moments to do what brings me pleasure when I can. Though it is getting quite hot out now as we are right in the thick of summer, it is still a blast when we get to do something that takes us outside for the better part of the day. Over the weekend and beginning of this week I was hovered over the computer a good bit, so it was particularly rewarding to get out to the farm again yesterday to pick more fruit! Yeah, yeah, I've shared about doing this before, but it will never get old to me. It's an excellent way to join in on @tattoodjay's Wednesday Walk, as well!
Though it was just three weeks ago that we went to the farm previously, so much changes in that short period of time out in the fields! This time around the strawberries are long gone, but we finally got to head into the peach orchard. The bales of hay up front also represented the change in season with the fun artwork on the bed of the truck. No blueberries this time around, but before hitting peaches we first decided to head into the blackberries to grab some of those before it got too hot out in the sun. We grabbed an empty bucket each and started to walk on down.
Though they look like raspberries, those are just the blackberries starting to ripen up in the sun!
Looking lower you can see all the stages of development. Kind of fun to see all the different colors as the berries mature!
However, the bushes were just dripping with ripe, juicy blackberries! I think I picked my first gallon bucket in about 15 minutes. Though they were delicious back when we first picked some, these are really sweet and plump this time around. More rain has definitely helped the last few weeks. Since there were so many berries, I ran back up to get a third bucket while @dksart was still filling his up. The season is so fleeting, so no sense not taking advantage while it is here. Plus, I didn't want those perfect berries rotting and going to waste. 😉
After filling up our blackberry buckets, we walked across to the peaches. There were definitely plenty of peaches on the trees, though they were a bit tougher to find nice ripe ones. It seemed that the ones that were perfect were already getting attacked by bugs (I can't blame the insects--fresh peaches are divine when ripe and juicy). I think we still got plenty of good ones, they'll just take a few days to soften up before we really dig in! It really is so nice spending time underneath the trees. Much cooler, and it was pretty quiet with not too many people picking when we were.
With our bags and buckets full, we walked back up to the store to pay. It's an hour drive back home, so we also made sure to use the facilities before leaving. Right outside the restrooms is a fun display of farm signs on the wall. They have lots of rocking chairs outside to sit and rest your picking muscles, too. 😉
I hope you enjoyed another walk through the fruit farm! We certainly did! Though now I'll be busy the rest of the week working on my haul before any of it goes bad. Good thing it will be quite tasty work...
omg blackberries ftw. also sloe gin. winning.
Haha, nice! These are seriously the best blackberries I've had. At least since last season. 😜 I was actually talking to my boyfriend while we were picking about trying to make blackberry wine, but we might just eat them all before that could happen...
yeah it takes a lot not to eat the lot tbh. but a friend of mine makes really really great sloe gin if i collect a bunch for him ;)
Sounds like a good friend to have. Mutually beneficial on both ends. ;)
yes mam. always gotta work the angles!
Well, wasn't that fun!!!?? Wait until you only have to go to your backyard to pick! Every year, I plant one or two more trees and soon, I will never be at a u-pick again! Those peaches do look pretty nice and I can say that the birds and bugs get first pickings because they don't wait for them to get ripe!
I have had blackberry wine that my uncle made, and although it is good, I couldn't even wait long enough either. I eat my way through them before there are any left.
There are fewer u-picks than when I first moved here, the one family who owned it for generations sold to a developer and he is building a housing area there. :( I am hoping that they keep some of this area rural as I don't have to go far at all. Yet.
You really did a great pick and there are times at the end of the season that I chop up the produce and freeze it if I don't have the time. Usually it is for jam anyway, but, better that than waste it.
Have a great day and thanks for being a great member of @SteemUSA!
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Definitely a fun time! I'm glad @dksart is always a good sport about going with me. ;) Though, yes, I can imagine it is even better when they are straight from your own backyard! I saw those raspberries of yours. Yum!
That's a shame about the developers taking over. I hope many of the farms stick it out. Seems to be really popular here, so if anything I have heard of more places recently. Though most are about an hour away from us.
I already washed and stuck half of the blackberries in the freezer! They are so ripe I know they won't last long, but they will be excellent in smoothies, nice cream, pancakes and anything else I can think of later on. I did manage to make one loaf of zucchini bread with some of the berries yesterday that I think will be equally delicious with the peaches. We've got about 21 pounds of peaches, so I might need to call in backup once they all start to ripen! 🤣
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Ohhhhhhh the peaches!!!! Nothing like Georgia peaches Katie! I am so hungry now. I hope a few of those make their way to Florida! :) Nothing like a juicy peach! Those blackberries were huge, and I'm sure quite tasty. Love it!
If I send them to you now, they might just be perfect by the time they get there! I was channeling you when I made the blackberry zucchini bread after seeing those yummy cherry muffins this week for fruits and veggies. I did save another cup of the shredded zucchini to pop in another one to freeze maybe tomorrow. :)
Love the light inthe first shot and how cool is the art onthe hay Bales love it
I thought the first shot was raspberries shows it been to long since i have bene out picking fruit
When I was a teenager i used to work I Market gardens they grew a little of everything so I remember how tiring a full day of fruit picking can be but strangely that hasn’t put me off it i have loved the times I have gone fruit picking just for me and the family :)
And then Peaches i think they are my Favorite fruit especially when freshly picked, glad you managed ot get a good amount of them that had not been attacked by Insects :)
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I loved how the light came through the leaves, too! So serene underneath the tree cover with the smell of peaches all around. It really is tough work doing all of that picking, but I can't complain this time since the blackberries pretty much picked themselves! I think @dswigle got us with raspberries on the brain after talking about her delicious backyard full of them!
Yes your right it’s @dswigle making trouble again lol 😂
Yes the fresh smell in orchards is enticing and makes fruit picking seem fun especially when picking fir yourself 👍😎👍
Where is your farm!
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This is about 30 minutes or so south of Atlanta, Georgia! Just outside of our capital city. :) Nice to have it close enough to enjoy when we can.
What a gorgeous haul you got there! Those blackberries and peaches are to die for, just yumm! Can't wait to see what you're going to do with all of that @plantstoplanks!
Always so much fun to hit the farm! Though my brain always seems to fog over on how much fruit that actually is. After freezing some of the blackberries, my little chest freezer in the basement is almost at capacity! Luckily I have some extra room in the freezer upstairs for whatever I can't get to fresh out of this round. :)
Oops I missed up the !tip so had to come back :)
I adore all your photos, but the one of you holding peach is absolutely precious. You are both so adorable 🍑😊🍑
Anyway, it looks like there is lots of goodies on the way! Yum! I can't wait to see them 🍇🍑🍇
Haha, holding all that fresh fruit is enough to make any vegan gal smile, right? I was looking back at that peach and blackberry treat you shared. I might be able to make that before the peaches get totally soft...🤤
You got that right Katie, lol.
And I am really curious how it will turn out if you make it, because I still need to practice on that one, lol. I will make it again with some other fruit, I just have to wait a little bit longer. Probably with strawberry and rhubarb 🍓😊🍇
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😮 thank you for sharing with us - picking fruits fresh from the tree is one of my favorite childhood memories. Those peace’s reminded me of picking mangoes 🥭 great times
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Oh, that's a wonderful childhood memory! We used to go strawberry picking with my grandparents, so it always reminds me of them no matter what fruit we are lucky enough to have in season. I would love to have mangoes, too, but I think I have to go a little further south into Florida if I want those. :)
That's so cool that you have a local farm to go to and pick fresh fruit! All those blackberries and peaches look delicious!
I am very thankful to have access to something like this! There are quite a few places around, but this particular farm has a good variety and is one of the closest ones to get to. Some day maybe we'll work on getting some more fruit in our own backyard garden, but until then I'll happily pop on down here and pick until my heart and belly are content!
lovely place @plantstoplanks
It really is a wonderful place to visit!
Farm is looking great and gorgeous cariño. I sooo love peaches! Regards!
Thank you my friend! It was a lovely day to be there, so I just had to share it with you all!
Looks like you got a good haul there! Enough to keep you busy for awhile!
Wonderful that you have U-picks close by!
Thanks for sharing!
It's down to crunch time now--everything is ripe and ready to be eaten or preserved so I will be busy this weekend. ;) I am so thankful to be able to load up on fresh fruit when it is in season. Makes me enjoy it even more when I pull it out of the freezer in the winter knowing we picked it with our own hands.
Oh my... How I wish we have this type of farm here. And I love the peach drawing on the truck. So cute.
If you didn't day, I really thought those are raspberries.
We import alot of peaches and blackberries and THEY are expensive hence we seldom eat them, maybe those who are affordable then yes.
Wishing you a super duper great days.. And yes time flies, I really can't believe it is the 2nd half of the year already.
I can imagine why they are so expensive to import. They are pretty delicate, so you have to be pretty careful or they'll bruise or break apart! It's probably like mangoes and some of the other tropical fruits here. I do love them, but they can be pretty pricey to get sometimes. Nice for a treat on occasion, though. :)
Wow, so many delicious fruits, in my garden soon the apricots are ripe, I'm looking forward to it.
Ooh, I don't find apricots very often around here, but those are so delicious, too! So many yummy fruits to eat. I never get tired of it!
Wow that is a delicious harvest right there. I keep on thinking if blackberries would thrive in our country. Maybe I could try to grow some in my Dad's farm one day. Hey love that photo of you with that juicy looking peach.
That would be fun to give it a try! They seem to grow across a lot of the country here, in different climate zones so perhaps they would take there, as well! They are so delicious, so definitely worth giving it a go. :)
Haha, I always think of that song when grabbing peaches!
Peaches are one of the things I really won't buy from the supermarket anymore. They are just so much better fresh and naturally ripened! Sounds like your sisters are getting close. They're not bad when they are a little under, but when they are perfectly ripe they are so juicy and delicious! Ours were a little hard when we first brought them home, but they are starting to soften up now so we better eat them or freeze them as they will go off quickly.
I hope you enjoy your next bite! :)
Haha! How is not possible to think of that song in that situation, right? :>)
I had some good, ripe peaches a couple of days ago. Still I have a guilty pleasure for canned peaches or pine apple with Dutch vanilla vla. Haven't tasted that in ages though.
See you around!
Wow 😮 you have a very nice farm fruits in various kinds. I love those berries and peaches. They’re really good as toppings for smoothies. Happy for you . That certainly healthy for the body. Wishing you a beautiful day enjoy your activities especially our #seven77 #justpushit 💜♨️🌙🙌
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Yes! I already froze a bunch of them for smoothies and nice cream later on. For now we are so enjoying them fresh, but also in some homemade baked goods, too. :) Keep on pushing it yourself my fit friend!
Wow! That peachy selfie is indeed a great shot.
We have many hidden clumps of very thorny blackberries in the veldt and I normally follow the birds to find them, so that Marian can make us jam.
Gooseberries is also a great favorite of ours.
Sliced peach jam on toast is out of this world.
Good to see the farm again.
Blessings!
Thanks! Gotta take advantage of good lighting and photogenic fruit, right? Haha
Oh all that jam sounds delicious! I would take a jar of each!
Ah! A new one here, "photogenic fruit" hahaha
You are indeed very humble my friend.
Winter here and no berries and such here.
Blessings!
I had no idea berries had that many different colors to them while they were growing. Everything I grow seems to be green or red. Fields of those must be a lovely splash of color.
Glad you two had amazing time picking and taking a massive haul back home. What an amazing time of the year it is! For me it has been moving quite fast.
Isn't that neat? I was glad to find all of those stages in one spot so you could see the transition from green to that final rich, dark color! It really does feel like the summer is flying on by. I can't believe the 4th of July is this week!
I do love the 4th. Going float in a pool and watch people fire off fireworks. I've not gone to a big show in a while. There are enough people where I am that light up the night sky!
They have been for past few days now already lighting them off during the night. After the 4th some will buy up massive supplies and than It will get a little annoying hearing the booms at 2am over the next month! I do admire the sprit of those kind of people at least.
Oh my gosh, they've already started with the fireworks here, too! I don't mind them on the weekends, but if it's during the week I get a bit grumpy, haha! The last few years we've gone with some friends to watch the fireworks at the country club in their neighborhood, but they are going out of town this year. Not sure if we'll still go over there this year or not. It is a pretty nice show, and only 2 miles from the house so you can't really beat that. ;)
Love me some fresh blackberries ...