a road trip that’s just peachy

Peaches, with their tangy and sweet flavor, have long been a staple of summers in the South, especially those in South Carolina. They are the star ingredient in your grandmother’s famous peach cobbler—the perfect dessert after a family meal—and in the homemade ice cream you make every year to celebrate the 4th of July. Peaches are synonymous with summer and nobody knows this better than the Yonce family that owns Big Smile Peaches in Johnston, South Carolina.

In 1931, just two years removed from the Stock Market Crash of 1929 and in the heart of the Great Depression, JW Yonce Jr. borrowed money from his father, JW Yonce, to plant 25 acres of peach trees. It was the beginning of his dream to create a legacy that would provide for his family for years to come, but he never imagined that his small orchard would one day grow to an orchard with over 4,300 acres filled with peach trees producing 38 million peaches!

Big Smile Peaches' peach picking season lasts for 16 weeks each year—May 1 through Labor Day—due to the fact that they grow over 41 varieties of peaches. One day can include picking up to 800,000 pounds of the sweet fruit and packing over 15,000 boxes during peak season production! Big Smile Peaches believes in processing their fruit as quickly as possible, and even though they pick enormous quantities each day, they still get their peaches from tree to truck within 36-48 hours to ensure optimal quality and taste when it gets to your hands.

The beginning of a new harvest season arrives at the end of winter, just before the days warm up and spring officially begins. Stunning pink blooms cover the tree branches as they mark the beginning of the season. The blooms are followed by peach fruit, which typically takes 3-5 months to grow. Once the peaches begin to ripen, it's time to harvest!

In addition to peaches, Big Smile Peaches also grows, harvests, and ships out delicious pecans from their farm.

Located just an hour outside of downtown Columbia, Big Smile Peaches is the perfect trip for families and friends to enjoy together this summer. 4th generation owners, cousins Chris Yonce and Josh Yonce, are passionate about sharing their family's farm with the community and beyond. They want visitors from near and far to come visit this peach season to experience first hand the hard work that goes into growing and harvesting the perfect peaches that we all love to enjoy.

Take the short drive to visit them. You can drive right up to their office and pick up a box of their freshly picked fruit to take home with you. Their prices are unbelievably great and you'll be supporting a local family-owned business when you shop with them. We guarantee that not only will you be greeted with a welcoming smile, but you'll have a huge smile on your own face as you head home with your tasty, Certified SC Grown peaches!

Old Fashioned Peach Cobbler

Ingredients:

5 peaches, peeled, cored, and sliced (about 4 cups)

¾ cup granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup milk ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Add the sliced peaches, sugar and salt to a saucepan and stir to combine.

2. Cook on medium heat for a few minutes, until sugar is dissolved and brings out juices from the peaches. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. Preheat oven to 350° F. Slice butter into pieces and add to a 9x13 inch baking dish. Place the pan in the oven while it preheats, to allow the butter to melt. Once melted, remove pan from oven.

4. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the milk, just until combined. Pour the mixture into the pan, over the melted butter and smooth into an even layer.

5. Spoon the peaches and juice over the batter. Sprinkle cinnamon generously over the top.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 38-40 mins. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream

Recipe from tastesbetterfromscratch.com