As I perched precariously between the branches half way up my young peach tree, reaching out to bend tender branches bearing the best fruit towards me, I remember thinking “what am I doing? I’m getting to old for this.” To be fair the tree isn’t that young. It was the first tree I planted in my orchard about 9 years ago, so while still young in the life of a tree, it is probably more of an adolescent and can take on a bit more than a sapling. I remember when it arrived, it was no more than a stick and I tenderly planted it and hoped for the best. And the best we got. My goodness. Those peaches are the sweetest, juiciest amazing fruit I’ve ever had. I have the name written down somewhere but for the life of me can’t remember where.
These peaches have been a huge distraction from the moment I decided I’d just pop down to the orchard to see if they are ready yet. They are about a month later than last year but there are no surprises there thanks to the gloomy weather, but well worth waiting for. I have eaten more than is probably good for you in one sitting and I have made 7 jars of peach jam with the bird pecked ones – I just cut the bad bits out. Waste not want not and all of that. But most shocking of all, they even caused me to abandon the exciting task of sowing my seeds for the new season to come.
Summer officially ends tomorrow. I’m not sure how I feel about that. I have mixed feelings. Half of me just wants to put it all behind us and put all my hope and expectation into next season. The other half is sad because gone with it is the possibility that it will come right and we will get nice days. All we have to look forward to now is the slow descent into the cooler weather and darker evenings.
The one blessing is we can grow all year round here and before I got excited about the peaches I began preparing a nursery bed to start my seedlings off in. It gets way to hot to grow them in small pots in the greenhouse. They’d fry in an instant. I even made a video of how I prepared the nursery garden. You can check it out here:
But for now I need to go back outside while it is still summer and sow those seeds.
Come again soon – autumn does have its advantage.
Sarah the Gardener :o)