1.       Grilled Peaches with Parmesan Cheese and Baby Spinach

• Slice peaches in half and remove the pit. You can peel the peaches if you like but this is not necessary. Brush the peach halves with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper
• Pre-heat your grill to medium heat. Grill peaches on both sides for about 2-3 minutes a side, depending on the size of the peaches
• Remove the peaches from the grill and serve over baby spinach. Sprinkle shaved parmesan to taste and add a dressing of your choice. This salad is wonderfully light and perfect for summer!

2.       Grilled Peach Salsa

• Brush halved and pitted peaches with olive oil and sprinkle salt to taste
• Grill peach halves over medium heat for 2-3 minutes
• Remove peaches from heat and let cool
• Slice peaches into bite size pieces and mix with a squeeze of lemon juice, finely chopped red onion, chopped fresh mint, and salt to taste

3.       Grilled Sweet Peaches with Ice Cream

• Coat your peaches in melted butter and sprinkle generously with brown sugar and a pinch of salt
• Grill over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes per side
• Serve warm over your favorite vanilla ice cream

As the warm weather of spring and summer entices us outside to fire up the grill with friends and family, we hope these three recipes make your grilling season a little sweeter.  From peach salsa to peach ice cream, peaches are a very versatile fruit that become even more delicious when grilled. With that in mind, we invite you to print off these recipes and give any or all of them a try.  After all, peaches, warm weather, and grilling just seem to go together!

1. Clingstone: This category aptly describes peaches in which the flesh clings steadfastly to the pit and is difficult to remove. Typically, peaches in this category have yellow flesh with bright red areas closer to the pit. Clingstone peaches have a soft texture and are very juicy and sweet; making them a perfect choice for desserts and jellies.

2. Freestone: As its name alludes to, peaches in this category have flesh that is easily removed from the pit. Thanks to that characteristic, peaches in this category are usually the most common type found at local markets and grocery stores as they are best when eaten fresh. Typically, freestone peaches are larger than clingstone, have a firmer texture, and tend to be slightly less sweet than their clingstone cousins.

3. Semi-freestone: This newer hybrid variety is less well known than its more common relatives and combines the sweetness of a clingstone with the easy to eat nature of the freestone. While more difficult to find, semi-freestone peaches are good both fresh and canned.

Depending on your personal tastes preferences and cooking needs, one of these three varieties may be more suitable than another. For those interesting in strictly canning peaches or making sweet desserts, clingstone peaches are probably the way to go. Freestone peaches, on the other hand, are a delicious snack to eat fresh, while adventurous eaters out there may find tracking down a semi-freestone peach may be a worthy pursuit. After all, when it comes to peaches, there is something for every taste!

1. Dormancy: Each year, every peach tree starts out in dormancy. During this stage, there are no visible signs of growth. Inside the tree, however, chemical reactions are occurring that will set the stage for more visible changes when the weather becomes appropriate. Typically, farmers will administer a spray during this time formulated to prevent leaf curling.

2. Bud Swell: As the weather slowly begins to change, the flower buds will swell as a result of the flower structures forming within despite the fact that no green tissue will be visible.

3. Green Tissue Emerges: With the ongoing flower structure formation within the bud, the green tissue within slowly begins to emerge. At this point, about a half an inch of green leaf tissue will extend from the bud.

4. Pink Appears: With the weather gradually turning warmer, the buds will slowly begin to open and the pink flower will be visible within. At this point, farmers will administer fungicide to prevent brown rot.

5. Bloom: Without a doubt, the most beautiful time of peach season. When the tree blooms, the bare limbs are filled with vibrant pink flowers designed to attract insects for pollination. Once the flower is pollinated, the peach fruit begins to form.

6. Petal Fall: As the peach fruit begins to grow, the tree slowly loses its pink petals. When over half of the petals are gone from the tree, growers will usually apply another application of fungicide to prevent brown rot at this crucial stage.

7. Fruit Formation: Typically, the peach fruit begins to form about ten days after the tree blooms. As the fruit grows, the protective covering over it will fall off. Exposed to the elements, peaches are particular susceptible to the plum curculio beetle and will most likely be sprayed by an insecticide for protection.

8. Harvest: When the fruit changes color from yellow or green to red, the time has come to pick them. Due to the uneven nature of fruit growth, multiple pickings are usually necessary as the peaches on a tree tend to ripen at various times.

Fortunately, peach trees follow a fairly linear pattern each year that allows for growers to effectively manage the growing season and make sure that every tree is progressing as it should. With Mother Nature, however, no season is ever entirely without its surprises and growers must be prepared to adapt to an earlier or later harvest season depending on weather patterns. Hopefully, this outline of a peach tree’s yearly cycle allows for a more in depth understanding of how the delicious fruit makes it way from the orchard to your table. Certainly seeing all of the hard work our employees put in to making each crop a success, gives each person at Pearson Farm a new appreciation for the fruit so many of us have come to love.

1. First, we remove all shoots and water sprouts around base and lower area of the tree. By removing this lower growth, we create a clear area for herbicide application and help increase air circulation through the peach tree.

2. After clearing up the lower part of the tree, we turn our attention to removing the limbs that are growing sideways and those that are at an angle greater than 45 degrees. These limbs stymy the growth of the healthier and properly angled limbs. Through their removal, we are able to free up the peach tree’s resources to focus on producing a great crop.

3. With the majority of the angled and flat limbs cut away, we then move to the inside of the tree. Taking a close look at the limb structure, we typically try to remove all of the shoots and limbs that grow towards the inside of the tree. Peach trees produce the best fruit crop when they have a rounded limb structure around a hollow base. This design allows for optimal air circulation and encourages a healthy growing season.

4. The last step in the pruning process is cutting off all of the old, dead limbs. By eliminating unhealthy and diseased areas of the tree, we help the peach tree concentrate its nutrients and energy on only the healthiest limbs; encouraging a robust peach crop.

Pruning our peach trees is an annual ritual that marks the countdown to spring and peach season. After many years of farming, we have discovered that there is a reason the pruning process has changed little over the last hundred or so years: because it works. With that, we look forward to finishing up the pruning process and eagerly await the beautiful, pink peach buds followed by the arrival of some delicious Georgia peaches!

For most people, peaches are a Summer pastime that invoke memories of family picnics, sticky hands and ice cream on top of cobbler.

At Pearson Farm, we are constantly asked when Georgia Peaches are in Season. The answer is simple: the Summer.

The majority of our peaches are harvested from mid-May until mid-August. During the hot months in the Georgia heat, our farm is alive and well.

The early part of the season produces Clingstone Peaches; we then find that Semi-Freestone peaches are ready to be harvested; finally, we collect Freestone peaches. We make sure to only pick ripe peaches, those that are left on the limb until just the right time. This ensures that you get a tasty peach that is sure to suit any and all taste buds.

Our more than 200 workers take the time to harvest peaches by hand. We make sure that every peach is ready to pack and ship directly to your door. We take extra care to avoid bruising during the shipping process, as no one likes damaged goods.

When you go searching for Georgia peaches, remember that there is a season and that peaches picked during that season will produce the most flavor and the best taste. Let us know how we can ship you some Georgia Peaches this year.

Pecan trees in the United States account for approximately 80% of the world’s pecan crop. In Georgia, pecan season runs from late Fall through mid-winter. For years, Georgia has been regarded as the largest pecan producer. Even with this fact, the lack of water is causing many harvesting operations to increase their prices to consumers. Some other US states are reporting up to a 50% decline in pecan harvest numbers because of the absence of water.

At Pearson Farm, we have taken additional measures to make sure our prices remain low and affordable for our customers. Because we grow and process our own pecans, the water issues that have been discussed do not have as big an impact over our operation, as we can control everything from the ground up.

Many retail pecan outlets as well as mail order operations are really hurting because they have to purchase their pecans from another operation or grower. When the grower is struggling to water crops, prices will go up; this will be passed along to the reseller/retailer, and they will drive up the retail price of pecans. Right now, much of the pecan supply is low (because of the drought) and demand is high (because of the time of the year).

All pecan farmers that have invested in crop irrigation resources are not raising prices as their supply is just fine. Pearson Farm, for countless years, has worked diligently to ensure that our supplies, and our prices, are not impacted by drought conditions. We are proud that our pecan prices are extremely competitive and we continue to receive orders from around the country.

When pecan trees are not sufficiently watered, they will drop their nuts early. Furthermore, hot and dry conditions serve to keep nuts from opening; this makes mechanical shelling difficult as the husks must be open.

• Antioxidants: Pecans rank highest among all nuts and are among the top category of foods to contain the highest antioxidant capacity, meaning pecans may decrease the risk of cancer, coronary heart disease, and neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Pecans contain different forms of the antioxidant vitamin E—known as tocopherols, plus numerous phenolic substances, many of them with antioxidant abilities. Eating a handful of antioxidant-rich pecans each day may even play a role in protecting the nervous system.
• Cholesterol-lowering: Pecans contain plant sterols, which are known for their cholesterol-lowering ability. For most people, pecan-enriched diets lower total cholesterol by 11.3 percent and LDL “bad” cholesterol levels by 16.5 percent.
• Heart healthy: Nearly 60 percent of the fats in pecans are monounsaturated and another 30 percent are polyunsaturated, leaving very little saturated fat in pecans. In addition, pecans contain zero trans fats.
• Weight control: Pecan consumption may increase metabolic rates and enhance satiety. A one-ounce serving of pecans (approximately 20 halves) contains 196 calories, 20.4 grams total fat (1.8 saturated fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 0 grams sodium, 2.7 grams dietary fiber and over 19 vitamins and minerals.
• Nutrient dense: Pecans contain more than 19 vitamins and minerals – including vitamin A, vitamin E, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, several B vitamins and zinc. One ounce of pecans provides 10 percent of the recommended Daily Value for fiber. Pecans are also naturally sodium-free, making them an excellent choice for those on a salt- or sodium-restricted diet.

It’s obvious that pecans are a tasty treat enjoyed by many, but the fact that they are healthy makes them taste even better. Their versatile, filling and even has a beneficial effect on the waistline- what more could you want? So, eat pecans every day and your body will thank you for it!

1. Pecans should be stored in a cool, dry place completely void of moisture. You have a few options when it comes to storage location.
• If you want to prolong the life of your pecans to their fullest, placing them in the freezer will suffice.  Unlike many other perishables, the quality of the pecans will not be affected even if you thaw and refreeze them several times.
• Shelled pecans are typically the easiest to store since they take up less space and can be frozen. If the pecans no longer have the shell, however, then it is best to store them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to roast, eat or use them to complement meals and desserts.
• Storing pecans at room temperature for an extended period should be held in containers that are adequately ventilated.
2. Whether you freeze, refrigerate or leave at room temperature, all pecans should be stored in an airtight sealed container. This keeps moisture out and prolongs the freshness of the pecans.
• Sealed plastic bags are the best for freezing purposes.
• When storing them in the refrigerator, it is best to store them in airtight containers like lids or jars. If you store the pecans outside the refrigerator, keep them in a cool, dark place such as the pantry.
• Sealed bags and containers can be used, but this kind of storing is not recommended for long term storage.
3. Keep the pecans away from onions and other high-odor foods as they tend to take on the smell of things around them.
4. Try to eat the pecans that you’ve removed from the refrigerated storage within a few weeks to ensure they don’t lose their texture and crunch.

By storing pecans correctly, you are able to prolong their flavor, texture and freshness. Improper storing, however, can lead to rotting and may even attract unwanted visitors- bugs! Nobody wants to waste precious produce, especially because of a simple mistake. So follow these tips today and enjoy the wonderful taste and aroma of pecans for months to come.

• Accessible to waterways
• Easier to shell than other North American nut species
• For their great taste.

Although pecans were renowned among the colonial Americans as a novelty, the commercial growing of pecans in the United States did not begin until the 1880s. And the first successful effort to graft pecan trees wasn’t recorded until 1846 after a slave gardener in southern Louisiana succeeded in grafting sixteen trees near his plantation.  In 1876, the resulting cultivar was named “Centennial” in honor of the 100^th celebration of the United States. The cultivation of the pecan tree continued to increase, and the technique of sowing proved to be the most effective method.

Georgia Pecans
Although pecans are highly favored in Georgia today, Georgia farmers were relatively hesitant in accepting the benefits of this nut at first. It wasn’t until the late 1800s that several individual Georgia landowners began producing and marketing pecans on a small scale. In Savannah, there was about ninety-seven total acres by 1889.

By 1910 southwest Georgia landowners began planting thousands of acres of pecans. This time became known as the “pecan boom”.  These orchards, however, were viewed more as a real estate enterprise than a commercial agricultural venture. Today, though, these early-twentieth-century plantations still remain the center of Georgia’s pecan-producing counties.

By the 1950s, Georgia had become the country’s leading producer of pecans and still remains the largest pecan-producing state in the nation to date.  Georgia pecan trees are one of the largest fruit-bearing trees with just one acre of pecan trees producing about 1,000 pounds of pecans. Today, more than 500 varieties of pecans exist with over 1,000 cultivars being released over the history of pecan culture. Only three are common and all three are available Georgia orchards.

1. Harvest or buy some in-shell pecans. First, you must choose a variety of pecans that is uniform in size and shape, feels heavy in your hands and don’t rattle when shaken. There shouldn’t be any cracks or holes in the shells. Those are the best for shelling.
2. Choose your method for cracking. Honestly, smashing the shells with a hammer on a solid surface will do the trick, but if you want a cleaner, more efficient job then choose a specially designed pecan cracker.
3. Regular slip joint pliers are good for cracking pecan shells.
4. A nutcracker can also be used to shell pecans.
5. A specialized inertial type pecan cracker can also be used if you want to spend the extra money.
6. Shell the pecans, but be careful with the nutmeat. Ideally, you will want to remove the pecans from their shells in halves and any of the nutmeat retained during the process is usable.
7. With your fingers or small set of pliers, you can begin to pull the shell away. Try to work your way from the rounded part of the pecan to the pointed part. Since the two halves of the pecan are joined on the pointed end, it will more likely break the nut if you try to start there.
8. If you don’t have any cracking tools, simply take two pecans and crush them together until one cracks enough to peel the shell off.
9. In order to scrape the shell material away from the pecan, use a pick, a toothpick, or even a narrow piece of pecan shell. If you leave even a small amount of the outer shell on the pecan, it may produce a slightly bitter taste.
10. The pecans will need to dry out in a perforated container or a colander. This is important if you want the pecans to yield the best, seasoned flavor.
11. Store the pecans in a sealed container. If they are not exposed to moisture, they will stay fresh for several days on your counter top, for weeks in a refrigerator, and up to a year in a freezer.

Helpful Tips

• Because pecans can vary greatly in oil content, yield, ease of shelling and flavor, it’s important to choose suitable nuts for your intended usage.
• If it’s practical, crack your pecans outside. The shells have a tendency to splinter and scatter around the area where you are working- it can get messy.
• Be careful where you store your unshelled pecans. Animals, especially squirrels, may raid your supply if they have even the slightest access to them.