By Karla Blackstock, Wide Open Country
Grab your family and head over to the nearest orchard to pick your own peaches.
If you love peaches (and who doesn’t), it is the perfect time of year to head out to the countryside and pick your own. There are a number of orchards in and around the Texas Hill Country that allow visitors to grab a basket and pick your own fruit.
Orchards usually provide their own containers, and while picking fruits could be a year round adventure remember that Mother Nature holds the key to your success. Be sure to call ahead, so you have a full understanding of the weather and fruit yields.
When selecting peaches, smell the fruit. The peach is a member of the rose family and should have a pleasingly sweet fragrance. Peaches should be soft to the touch but not mushy. Don’t squeeze peaches; they bruise easily. If you pick a few that aren’t quite ripe, place them on the counter at room temperature, and they will ripen within a few days.
Photo: Pixabay
Love Creek Orchards is situated just out of San Antonio in Medina. It has a number of fruits ready for picking during the spring and summer months. You can pack a lunch and enjoy a picnic onsite.
14024 State Hwy 16 North, Medina, TX 78055
Photo: Facebook/Jenschke Orchards
You can pick your own fruit any time the orchard is open. Jenschke Orchards has been around for seven generations, and they know how to grow peaches. You can enjoy the entire day and soak up some Texas Hill Country sun while you pick your delights.
8301 East US Hwy 290, Fredericksburg, Texas
Photo: Flickr – slgckgc
Marburger Orchard in Fredericksburg has 10 varieties of peaches that ripen between May and August. Peaches are vulnerable to the harsh weather patterns so be sure you call ahead for any orchard before heading out.
559 Kuhlmann Rd, Fredericksburg, Texas
4. Tuscany on the Pedernales Peach Farm
Photo: Flickr – g-neato
Tuscany on the Pedernales Peach Farm — also in Fredericksburg, Texas — is an environmentally friendly and conservation steward, like most orchards. They encourage patrons to not only stop by their display room, but to also enjoy the orchard experience by picking your own each summer. Tuscany on the Pedernales Peach Farm grows 25 different varieties that are developed for the Texas Hill Country.
1349 Ranch Road 1376, Fredericksburg, Texas
5. Wahl’s Peaches and Vegetables
Photo: Flickr / skyseeker
Wahl’s Peaches and Vegetables is located in Stonewall, the heart of the Hill Country. Wahl’s allows to you enjoy the Texas sun and pick your own peaches, but they will also deliver fresh, ripe peaches within 30 minutes of Stonewall.
15371 US Highway 290 East, Stonewall, Texas
6. Point Enterprises Orchards
Photo: Flickr – Alby Headrick
Located in Mexia, Texas, the Point Enterprises Orchard offers fresh wholesome peaches and pears that are allowed to ripen on the tree.
2033 FM 1363, Mexia, Texas
