Last year I chronicled our planting of a tiny backyard orchard. The peach trees bloomed their heads off this spring and were covered with tiny little peaches. Sadly, one of the trees dropped every single one of its fruits. However, the other tree managed to hold on to about six peaches. We allowed them to grow and I've been diligently checking on their status. Today I went out to find that three of the six had disappeared (squirrels?) and that their remained three perfectly ripened peaches.
I quickly snatched them from their branches and commenced eating. Now these were not your perfect, food store, pesticide protected, peach specimens. We did not expect this. They were covered with blemishes. Despite their imperfections, once picked, washed, and skinned they were simply divine. Halfway through my meal, I remembered to stop and snap a picture of this historic harvest.
Next year may bring more bugs and disappointment, but this year gave me high hopes for our future crops of homegrown, backyard, Maryland peaches.
It feels as though we've one the lottery.
