Photo courtesy of USDA ARS.

Overview

The two basic types of peaches are clingstone and freestone. With clingstone peaches, the flesh “clings” to the "stone" of the peach, making it difficult to separate, and thus more suitable for processing. In addition, this variety retains its flavor and soft texture during processing. According to USDA's Economic Research Service, roughly 75 percent of processed peaches are canned and 17 percent are frozen. Processed peaches may also be frozen, prepared as baby food and concentrated for fruit juice.

The pit of freestone peaches "freely" separates from the flesh, making it ideal for fresh consumption. Freestone peaches are generally larger than clingstones with a firmer, less juicy texture. While most commonly eaten fresh, these peaches may also be frozen and dried.  March 2012 . . . Peaches


Marketing

• California Canning Peach Association
• California Cling Peaches, California Cling Peach Board.
• China Agricultural Data, Agricultural Issues Center, University of California, 2001 - Information on production, cost of production and trade.
• Federal Marketing Orders for Peaches and Nectarines Withdrawn
• Fruits and Tree Nuts, Economic Research Service (ERS), USDA.
• Fruit and Tree Nuts Outlook, ERS, USDA, 2010.
• Fruit and Tree Nuts Yearbook Data, ERS, USDA, 2010.
• Fruit and Vegetable Market News Portal, Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), USDA - Custom data queries concerning weekly prices at terminal, shipping, movement and retail points for fresh organic and non-organic fruits and vegetables, sourced by product variety and regional locations can be conducted using this excellent database.
• Global Agricultural Trade System (GATS), Foreign Ag Service (FAS), USDA, 2010.
• Noncitrus Fruits and Nuts, National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), USDA, 2011.
• Peach Prices by Shipment Origin, AMS, USDA.
• Stone Fruit: World Markets and Trade, FAS, USDA, 2010.
• Sweet Georgia Peaches, Georgia Peach Commission.
• U.S. per capita food availability, ERS, USDA, 2008.
• United States Standards for Grades of Peaches, AMS, USDA, 2004.

Production

• 2007 North Carolina Peach and Nectarine Disease and Pest Management Guide - Prepared by D.F. Ritchie, J.R. Meyer, and W.E. Mitchem.
• 2008 Southeastern Peach, Nectarine and Plum Pest Management and Culture Guide, University of Georgia - Written by Dan Horton, Phil Brannen, Bob Bellinger and David Ritchie, this guide for commercial growers provides information on suggested fungicide and insecticide rates for various growth stages.
• Crop Profile for Peaches in Delaware, 2008.
• Crop Profile for Peaches in North Carolina, 2005 - Prepared by D.F. Ritchie, M. Parker, K.A. Sorenson, J.R. Meyer, W.E. Mitchem and S.J. Toth, Jr.
• Everything About Peaches, Clemson University  - Selected for a 2011 National American Society of Horticultural Science Outstanding Website award, this Extension site offers a plethora of information for the commercial backyard Southeastern peach grower, as well as a Consumer's Corner.
• Expense Method of Depreciation - Vineyards, orchards and groves can qualify for the expense method of depreciation. The IRS agrees that I.R.C. §179 is available when the vineyard is placed in service even in situations where the taxpayer established the vineyard years earlier by planting the seeds and capitalizing expenses during the preproduction period. The IRS position in the past was that orchards, groves and vineyards were not able to capitalized direct and indirect costs until the vineyard became productive. Tax returns for the open tax years (generally three years back) can be amended to either make or revoke an I.R.C. §179 election. That means that taxpayers that put a vineyard, orchard or grove in service in the past three years but didn’t elect I.R.C. §179 can now do so.
• Fruit Handbook for Western Washington
• Gardens, Lawns and Landscapes, eXtension
• The Georgia Peach, University of Georgia - Provides access to the Southeastern Peach Growers' Handbook.
• Growing Peaches in North Carolina, North Carolina State University.
• Growing Peaches in Oregon
• Key to delicious tree fruit is keeping it out of the "killing zone," Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California - A completely new protocol has been developed for peaches, plums and nectarines as they journey from the farm to packing sheds, to distribution centers and finally to supermarkets.
• PlantFacts, Ohio State University - This Web site provides a full-text search engine of all extension and academic department information from all land-grant universities in the United States. Additionally, there are significant image and video databases, a FAQ database and a glossary.
• Peach – 2010 Fruit and Nut Planning Budgets – Mississippi State University, Department of Agricultural Economics, Budget Report 2010-05, 2010.
• Peaches: Organic and Low-Spray Production, ATTRA, the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, June 2012 - This new publication focuses on the major diseases and insect pests of peaches and provides organic or least-toxic control options for each.
• Sample Costs to Establish and Produce Processing Peaches (Cling & Freestone), University of California Cooperative Extension, 2011.
• • Late Harvest Varieties
  • Early Harvest Varieties
• Sample Costs to Establish and Produce Fresh Market Peaches, University of California Cooperative Extension, 2009.
• South Carolina Peaches, Clemson University, 2006.
• Southeastern Peach, Nectarine and Plum Pest Management and Culture Guide, University of Georgia, 2008 - This guide for commercial growers provides information on suggested fungicide and insecticide rates for various growth stages.

Businesses/Case Studies

• Berryman Family Orchard, Washington state - Organic peach producers Bob and Shelly Berryman, whose property sits above the Columbia River, have developed specialty niche markets selling directly to consumers.
• Chappell Farms, Kline, South Carolina - Grow and market wholesale and retail peaches under the "Pat's Pride" name. Peaches are shipped throughout the United States and Canada. The farm also sells gift boxes directly to customers online.
• Durbin Farms, Jemison, Alabama -  This farm has 150 acres in production and peaches are the staple crop. The farm also raises plums, nectarines, apples, blueberries and strawberries. It sells fruit at a market located next to an interstate exit as well as online.
• Paradise Orchards, Felton, Delaware - Raises more than 20 different varieties of peaches and nectarines on 10 acres. The orchard sells peach gift boxes online.
• Susquehanna Orchards, York County, Pennsylvania - Sells several varieties of peaches and apples from the 100-year-old slate roofed barn. Occasionally the farm has portions of the orchard open for pick-your-own.
• Texas Hill Country Peaches, Fredericksburg, Texas - This group of peach growers has a Web site listing each orchard's specialty, directions, hours of operation and phone numbers.

Links checked March 2012.