Berries, Peaches, Veggies & Flowers

Did you say Peaches?  YES!

Red Haven Peaches at Sauvie Island Farms will open on 
Wednesday, July 22.
This peach variety is excellent for fresh eating, freezing or canning and is a favorite of many.

When you enter our orchard this year, you will see some trees that do not have any peaches on them.  These trees had frost damage this spring when they were in bloom so no fruit formed.  The trees that do have peaches on them are loaded with beautiful fruit this year.  

Not only did the frost do damage, but we have some critter damage in the orchard.  You will see large mounds of dirt and holes produced by the squirrels that love to reside in our orchard.  Watch your step while in the orchard.

You may also see some 'bites' out of some of the peaches, this is caused by the deer who are fond of our peaches.  Just leave that fruit alone, or if you want you can pick it and just leave it on the ground at the base of tree.  The unfortunate thing about these deer treats, is that the deer usually take one bite and do not finish off the peach.  It is frustrating for us.

The larger peach trees in our orchard are over 40 years old, you will see smaller and younger trees planted in between the larger trees.  Some of these have been producing great fruit for the past couple of years, as have our old trees.  Each year we wonder if this will be the last year for those older trees.  You will see some bare spots in the orchard where we cleared out some of these broken down older trees. While in the orchard please do not climb or pull on the branches, they will break if you do.

The Red Havens are the first variety that we have available this year.
Coming next will be Rosa, Hale-Haven,  Red Globe, Veteran, Early Elberta & O'Henry.  Last year we picked the last variety at the end of August.  This year is looking like similar timing.  

Berries:
Marionberries:  nice berries with red ones that need ripening.  This could be the last week of good picking for the marions.

Red Raspberries:  Saanich, Coho and Tulameens.  Nice berries this week and more to ripen.

Blue Crop Blueberries: the bushes are loaded with ripe fruit ready to be picked.
Liberty Blueberries:  just a few starting to ripen, should be good picking by next week.

Yellow raspberries:  good picking, if you are selective, some are overripe and soft.  

Veggies:
Green beans:  nice picking this week
Pickling cukes:  good picking by the end of the week, lots of small cukes that need a few days to grow.
Kale, spinach, peas, beets, zucchini,  & slicing cukes

Flowers:
Shasta Daisies
Blazing Star
Hydrangea
Lavender
Zinnia
Dahlia
Baby's Breath
Bachelor Buttons
Cosmos
 Echinacea
Amaranthus
Globe Thistle
Sunflowers