Harvest Season 2024
Preserving Peaches
Canning, Jamming, Freezing, Salsa
Lea Hanson
Peaches are for sale everywhere this time of year. We are bombarded with pallets of peaches, encouraged to buy them as fundraisers, EZ Ups on every corner, and more. With our kitchens filled with pallets of peaches, we’re suddenly inundated with the responsibility to do something with them. Luckily, peaches are one of the easiest fruits to preserve and there are many ways to do it. There are many ways to preserve the goodness of peaches well past the harvest season. Examples include canning, freezing, making salsa, or making preserves.
Peaches provide vitamins A and C, are a good source of fiber and are low in calories. One raw medium peach (147 grams) has 50 calories, 0.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of cholesterol and sodium, 15 grams of carbohydrate, 13 grams of sugar, 2 grams of fiber and 1 gram of protein. It provides six percent of your daily vitamin A needs and
15 percent of daily vitamin C needs. One medium peach also contains two percent or more daily value of vitamins E and K, niacin, folate, iron, potassium, and magnesium.
Preserving fruit is much easier than most novices think it will be and the tools needed are minimal. Actually, besides purchasing a bulk of canning jars, most people already have utensils that will work in the house. Although many specialty items are for sale, they usually simply make the process easier, but aren’t required to complete the task.
PREPARING TO PRESERVE PEACHES
Choose ripe, mature peaches of ideal quality for eating fresh or cooking. Peaches should be firm, or “give” slightly and should have a strong, sweet smell and a yellowish golden
background color.
To peel, dip peaches in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds until skins loosen. Dip quickly in cold water and slip off skins.
Cut in half, remove pits and slice, if desired. To prevent darkening, keep peeled peaches in ascorbic acid solution (1 teaspoon or 3000 milligrams
ascorbic acid or vitamin C per gallon of water), or use a commercial ascorbic acid mixture according to directions on package. Drain when ready to process.
CANNING PEACHES (HALVED OR SLICED)
Yields: Approximately 2 to 2½ pounds peaches for a 1-quart jar.
Prepare and boil syrup, using ½ cup (very light), 1 cup (light) or 1¾ cup (medium) sugar per quart of water, depending on desired sweetness. Or pack peaches in water, apple juice or white grape juice.
HOT PACK AND RAW PACK
First, what’s the difference? Hot packing is the practice of heating freshly prepared food to boiling, simmering it 2 to 5 minutes, and promptly filling jars loosely with the boiled food. Raw packing is more suitable for fruits and vegetables processed in a pressure canner.
To hot pack peaches, first place drained fruit in a large saucepan with syrup, water or juice and bring to boil.
Next, fill jars with hot fruit and cooking liquid, leaving ½-inch headspace. Place peach halves in layers with the cut side facing down. Adjust the jar lids and process in a boiling-water canner: 20 minutes for pints, 25 minutes for quarts at altitudes up to 1,000 feet.
To raw pack, fill hot jars with raw fruit, cut side down, and add hot water, juice, or syrup, leaving ½-inch headspace. Adjust the jar lids and process in a boiling water canner: 25 minutes for pints, 30 minutes for quarts at altitudes up to 1,000 feet.
FREEZING PEACHES
Also known as sugar packing
Many believe sugar packing is the best way to preserve the taste of fruit. To sugar pack, start by dissolving ¼ teaspoon ascorbic acid in 3 tablespoons cold water and add to each quart of peaches to slow darkening. Then, add ⅔ cup sugar to each quart (1⅓ pounds) of prepared fruit. Next, stir gently until sugar is dissolved or let stand 15 minutes. Place
into containers, seal, label, and freeze.
PEACH JAM
Yield: About 8 half-pint jars
Making jam is usually the task that seems most difficult… but like the processes described above, is easier than most assume. Begin by combining two quarts crushed, peeled peaches and ½ cup water; cook gently for 10 minutes. Add 6 cups sugar; slowly bring to boiling, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Cook rapidly until thick, about 15 minutes; stir frequently to prevent sticking. Next, pour hot jam into sterilized canning jars, leaving ¼–inch headspace.
Wipe jar rims and adjust lids; they will be quite sticky later if you don’t. Process (seal) jars in a boiling water bath canner for 5 minutes at altitudes up to 1,000 feet. Add 1 minute of processing time for each additional 1,000 feet. Adding pectin is easy simply by following the manufacturer’s directions on the pectin box.
All Natural makes all the difference.
Everything you eat starts with how it is raised and how it gets to you. Know what you and your family are eating.
• Black Angus cattle selected for high marbling genetics, locally farm-raised in large pastures in a low stress environment
• NEVER EVER given antibiotics, hormones, or steroids or fed animal by-products
• Available by quarter, half, or whole, cut and packaged just the way you want it
• Dry-aged 21 days for tender, moist, consistently great flavor.
www.blueskyfarmcolorado.com (970) 222-7147 • Rbluesky8@msn.com • Windsor, CO Please request a cutting instruction sheet to place your order.
Berthoud’s Fickel Farmers Market
Fickel Park, 620 Mountain Ave., Berthoud Thursdays, 4–7pm, June 8–Sept. 21 www.berthoud.org/1385/Farmers-Market
Erie Farmers Market
Briggs Street between Wells and Moffatt, Erie Thursdays, 5–8pm, May 1–Sept. 14 www.realfarmersmarketco.com
Estes Valley Farmers Market
Visitor Center, 500 Big Thompson Ave., EP Thursdays, 8am–1pm, June 1–Sept. 28 www.facebook.com/EstesValleyFarmersMarket
Farmers Market at Fairgrounds Park
700 S. Railroad Ave., Loveland Sundays, 9am–1pm, June 4–Sept. 24 www.cityofloveland.org/farmersmarket
FARM STANDS 2024 NoCo Farmers Markets
Fort Collins Farmers Market
1001 E. Harmony Rd., FC (rain or shine) Sundays, 10am–2pm, May 7–Nov. 12 Wednesdays, 10am–2pm, June 14–Sept. 27 www.fortcollinsfarmersmarket.org
Greeley Summer Farmers Market
Union Pacific Depot, 902 7th Ave., GR Saturdays, 8am–Noon, May 6–Oct. 28 www.greeleygov.com/fm
Larimer County Farmers Market
200 S. Oak St., FC (courthouse parking lot) Saturdays, 9am–1pm, May 20–Oct. 28 www.larimercountyfarmersmarket.org
Loveland West Farmers Market at Jax 2665 W Eisenhower Blvd, LV Tuesdays, 9am–1pm, April 18–Nov. 7 www.facebook.com/ LovelandWestFarmersMarket
Timnath Sunday Market
4138 Main St., Timnath Second Sundays, 9am–2pm, May–Oct www.TimnathFarmersMarket.org
Windsor Farmers Market
Boardwalk Park, 110 5th St., Windsor Saturdays, 8am–12:30pm, June 3–Sept. 9 www.windsorgov.com/FarmersMarket
Bartels Farm
3424 E. Douglas Rd., Fort Collins www.thebartelsfarm.com www.facebook.com/The-Bartels-PumpkinPatch-137755902661
Desiderata Ranch
4617 CR 2, Berthoud http://desiderataranch.org
Folks Farm & Seed
2917 S. Taft Hill Rd., Fort Collins www.folksfarmandseed.com
Garden Sweet
719 W. Willox Ln., Fort Collins www.gardensweet.com
Green Dog Farm
3421 West CR 54G, Laporte (next to Overland Foods) www.greendogfarmcsa.com
Hazel Dell Mushrooms
3925 E. CR 32 (Carpenter Rd.), Fort Collins www.hazeldellmushrooms.com
Something about being on a farm just feels good. The pace feels relaxed and your interactions, maybe, more genuine. So swing by a farm stand soon and pick up some deliciousness while you’re at it.
Heritage Lavender
4809 Foothills Dr., Berthoud www.heritagelavender.com
Hoffman Farms, LLC
3545 W. O St., Greeley www.hoffmanproduce.com
Hope Farms
1601 N. Shields St., Fort Collins www.cultivatehopeco.org
Jodar Farms/Fort Collins Vine Farm Order online/pick up Fort Collins or Wellington www.jodarfarms.com
Long Shadow Farm Order online/pick up Berthoud www.longshadowfarm.com
Native Hill Farm
2100 CR 54G, Fort Collins www.nativehillfarm.com
Ollin Farms 8627 N. 95th St., Longmont www.ollinfarms.com
On the Vine at Richmond Farms 3611 Richmond Dr., Fort Collins https://onthevineatrichmondfarms.com
OwlTree Farm
4605 E. CR 58, Fort Collins www.owltreefarmco.com
Papa Joe’s Honey 4855 W. Eisenhower Blvd., Loveland www.facebook.com/PapaJoesLocalHoney
Raisin’ Roots Farm
2229 W. Vine Dr., Fort Collins www.facebook.com/raisinroots
Sunny Daze
901 S. CR 5, Fort Collins www.sunnydazegardens.com
Tigges Farm 12404 CR 64½, Greeley www.facebook.com/tigges.farm
