Summertime
is peach time in the state of South Carolina. While Georgia is called the Peach
State, the Palmetto State actually out-produces its neighbor in the fruit. During a normal year, South Carolina grows 60,000 tons
of peaches which makes it obviously the state fruit.
Peaches took hold in the 1850s but grew in popularity in the
1920s when cotton farmers hit hard by the boll weevil made a shift from cotton.
The current value of this crop to the state’s economy is $40 million, which is
a lot of sweet-smelling, sticky, nutritious, luxurious fruit. Over 18,000
acres of those babies.
Most
of these farms are located on beautiful, smooth, rolling hills which make
production simpler and the view ever so easy on the eyes. The carefully
manicured ten-foot trees, speckled with fruit, create a uniform landscape
painting you could get lost in. And the aroma . . . oh my goodness.
Southern
Living has even covered South Carolina and its major peach producers, most of
them family operators who claim that this state’s peaches run bigger, sweeter,
and juicier that those found next door. Below is a list of places where you can
take a rest in your travels across the Southeast and pick up some fantastic peaches
and peachy snacks. South Carolina is not a large state, and in the summer you
probably come close to one of these farms, and you would be sorely remiss if
you didn’t stop.
Abbott
Farms, Spartanburg, Florence, and Gaffney, SC - www.abottfarmsonline.com
Callaham
Orchards
- https://www.facebook.com/Callaham-Orchards-152822858065270/ 559 Crawford
Road, Belton, SC
Oh,
while you’re cruising across the state, hopefully in the summer, why not stop
at one of three peach festivals!
Lexington County
Peach Festival
- http://www.lexingtoncountypeachfestival.com/ - usually held
around the 4th of July in the Gilbert CommunityPark in Gilbert, SC.
This one is only thirty miles from the state capital of Columbia.
Ridge Peach
Festival -
http://www.ridgepeachfestival.com/ - usually held
mid-June with a huge representation by several of the farms mentioned above.
Location Trenton, SC.
South Carolina
Peach Festival
– http://www.scpeachfestival.net/ - held mid-July
in Cherokee County, in the town of Gaffney. You can’t miss the big town water
tower shaped like a peach!
Fresh
peaches, peach salsa,
peach cobbler, peach pies, peach jam, peach ice cream, peach sauce on chicken
and ribs, peach French toast, and melt-in-your-mouth peach BBQ sauce. What
can’t you make with peaches! Especially the sweeter SC peaches. And don’t
forget that August is National Peach Month!
And
if you don’t believe me that South Carolina does peaches better than Georgia,
just listen to Steve Colbert. BIO
C.
Hope Clark adores her state to include writing all her mysteries about South
Carolina. Her latest, released August 2016, is Echoes of Edisto, book three in
The Edisto Island Mysteries. www.chopeclark.com / www.fundsforwriters.com
(Info Author Provided)
(Info Author Provided)
What a peachy list of reasons to visit a beautiful and interesting state. Love it.
ReplyDeleteDid not know about SC peaches! Made me hungry :)
ReplyDeleteDelightful and informative post which I enjoyed greatly.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear it! Yep, our peaches rock! A fresh, warm, ripe peach....is just summer personified.
ReplyDeleteLove the peaches and the sweet state.
ReplyDeleteYou and me both! Love my state.
ReplyDeleteLast year at this time I was visiting your lovely state. I went to a farmer's market and bought a dozen peaches. None of them made it home to RI. Deeeeeeelish! I hope to return in the spring and know I will be just as pleased with the gardens and bushes which will be in bloom. You are certainly surrounded by incredible beauty.
ReplyDeleteThis state is indeed lovely. No doubt about that!
ReplyDelete