Glassboro, NJ – Anyone who's tasted a locally grown, Jersey-Fresh peach knows they're the very best. But ever wonder why?
A new video, produced by the New Jersey Peach Promotion Council (PPC), shows and tells all about why peaches grown "with love" in the Garden State really are the best. It's a five-minute show-and-tell journey from the fruit's origins in China through New Jersey orchards (originating in the 1600s) to stores and markets where they're sold to customers, with useful "how-to" information on selecting, storing, freezing and more. The video, "Peach Perfect Peach" can be viewed through the PPC website www.jerseypeaches.com; facebook.com/newjerseypeaches, and YouTube. Access to all viewing platforms can be accessed from the jerseypeaches.com website.
"Growing peaches is labor intensive," says Santo John Maccherone, chair of the PPC. "Peach trees are pruned by hand most of the trees are thinned by hand and all fruit hand-picked with tender loving care.. Growers have a lot invested in cultivation and harvesting of peaches. With this comes pride by every grower in offering the best quality and most delicious Jersey peaches for sale."
The video shows workers inspecting, thinning and picking the peaches, then taking them to packing and storage facilities where they're showered with cool water (hydro-cooling) before being packed for commercial shipping or stored on-farm for selling direct to consumers.
A special demonstration is presented in the video on how to select and handle mature and ripe fresh Jersey peaches. The video concludes with tips on home processing with emphasis on freezing for later use. It's easy. Just slice, separate slices on a cookie sheet till just frozen. Then put slices into a plastic freezer bag and freeze again. They can be kept frozen for six months (or more) and served thawed as is, or used in cooking. Enjoy, and remember summer.
For further information, email the New Jersey Peach Promotion Council information office, info@jerseypeaches.com; or visit the website www.jerseypeaches.com and find jersey peaches on facebook.com/newjerseypeaches. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Peaches.
The New Jersey Peach Promotional Council is a non-profit voluntary organization of growers, shippers, wholesalers and associated industries dedicated to maintaining a viable peach industry in the Garden State for the purpose of preserving farmers and farmland; and providing the highest quality and best tasting fresh peaches for consumers. New Jersey is the country's fourth largest peach producing state.
Source: The New Jersey Peach Promotional Council