As seen in this photo taken two weeks ago, local peaches are ripening at this very moment! Many peach orchards can be found in North Carolina, especially the Sandhills region (southeast of Greensboro). Peach trees love the well-draining soil of the Sandhills and many varieties are grown there; Greensboro is the Piedmont region and our soil contains more clay. If you live in Greensboro, you can purchase peaches at the farmers’ markets or make a day trip to Montgomery, Richmond, or Moore County to get peaches directly from the source. Peach Day at the Farmers’ Market in Colfax was last week; however, if you are interested, learn about other July peach events throughout the state here. 

An estimated 11 million pounds of peaches are grown each year in NC on about 2,500- 3,000 acres of bearing-age peach trees.  Dedicated peach farmers grow many different varieties of peaches so that they have peaches ripening all summer long. We leave you with a list of twenty seven varieties of peaches found in North Carolina: Derby, Candor, Dixired, Surecrop, Pekin, Reliance, Redhaven, Clayton, Norman, Carolina Belle, Raritan Rose, Topaz, Sunglo, Nectar, Winblo, Redglo, Ellerbe, Contender, Summer Pearl, Biscoe, Belle of Georgia, Elberta, Encore, Monroe, Emery, Legend, and Parade. If you want to brush up on “peachology,” knowing if one of the above varieties is freestone or clingstone, its size and attributes, when it ripens, and more, read here. Add a peach question to your poolside summer trivia (Name ten varieties of peaches– and the beloved freestone is a cultivated characteristic, not a variety!).