We awakened to gorgeous weather! The humidity is low, the skies are clear and there's a gentle cool breeze. Best of all, the meteorologist promises that these conditions will stretch over the next several days. Deal! It is the perfect day to be out and that's exactly what my parents and I did. We took a "field trip" to get fresh peaches this morning. We love going to Calhoun County in IL. Since it's mostly surrounded by water, we took a ferry.
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| We waited for this long barge to pass before the ferry could proceed. |
Calhoun County is a 37 mile long peninsula between the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. The high, rolling hills make it absolutely beautiful countryside.
The beautiful land is also perfect growing grounds and there is little more than farms and orchards throughout the region. Traveling the quiet two-lane roads, we made the trip from the river to one of our favorite produce stands. We've been going there, seasonally, for years and years to buy peaches, apples and pumpkins. This is just a small glimpse into one of the numerous orchards.
Nearly every variety of peach is available, at some point, in Calhoun. Today we picked-up Cresthavens. Sweet and nearly fuzzless, they're supposed to be very versatile. Developed in South Haven, MI about 50 years ago, these peaches have a good flavor to which my dad could attest since he had his complimentary overripe fruit (the gal gave us each one) consumed before we ever pulled out of the parking lot!
In addition to these picturesque peaches, we also bought fresh tomatoes
and the first of their Jonathan apple crop (picked a few hours before we arrived).
I bought peach salsa, which I had never had. When I got home, I sampled some with a few tortilla chips with my lunch and I am already regretting not getting more of it. The sweet chunks of peach complement the hot salsa and it is delicious!! I had originally planned to prepare pork with it, but I think I may save the salsa for eating with chips. If you've never tried it, I'd recommend you check your local produce stand. I did a quick search and it looks like Walmart carries a salsa like this (although not the brand I have, so I can't vouch for it).
My mother also purchased a jar of sugar-free peach preserves for my husband since he couldn't join us. Look at the rich color of the preserves. I'm sure it will be tasty on toasted English muffins.
It was a nice day and a peachy field trip! 🍑