The Shadow
PINEY RIVER, VA (VR) —Virginia peach shoppers may need to be flexible this summer, as a series of spring freezes left many orchards with light crops—or none at all. But in parts of Central Virginia, including Nelson County, surviving trees are still producing the kind of sun-warmed peaches that make the season worth seeking out.
The uneven crop follows an exceptionally cold spring that struck fruit trees during vulnerable stages of bloom. Virginia Cooperative Extension specialists reported widespread damages after freeze events in April, with some northern and western orchards experiencing severe losses. For perennial fruit, “springtime is your one chance to set fruit,” Extension agent Mark Sutphin noted in a Virginia Farm Bureau report.
At Saunders Brothers Inc. in Nelson County, Marshall Saunders said the farm was fortunate to have a strong crop, thanks in part to orchard sites that allowed cold air to drain away from the trees.
“Customers are ecstatic to find in-season peaches, locally grown,” Saunders said. “But we’ve certainly worn the other hat! We took damage on apples last year. And in 2023 we had a great crop of peaches destroyed in a June 28 hailstorm. So, Mother Nature is still in charge. She reminds us every day.”
He added that Saunders Brothers, which has grown peaches since 1940, is harvesting yellow and white peaches, nectarines and other stone fruit through the summer.
Consumers are advised to check with local farms before visiting, buy Virginia-Grown peaches where they are available, and keep supporting farm markets even when favorite fruits are scarce. Grace Stern, state coordinator for the Extension Master Gardener Program, said local purchases help growers weather difficult years.
“The best way to ensure that peaches are available in Virginia in future years is for folks to buy their produce at farm market retail before going to the grocery store,” Stern said, noting that more direct support helps growers buffer losses.
Choosing another in-season item keeps dollars with Virginia farms, especially those working through frost-shortened harvests. Farm stands may have nectarines, plums, pluots, berries, tomatoes, sweet corn, melons and other summer produce ready now.
Meanwhile, Virginia’s fruit industry is honoring the influence of Henry Montague Chiles, an Albemarle County orchardist who died July 18 at 90. Chiles helped expand Crown Orchard Co. and develop Carter Mountain Orchard and Chiles Peach Orchard. He once was honored during his career as Young Farmer of the Year by Albemarle County Farm Bureau. Chiles’ legacy in Virginia’s orchard landscape is carried forward by the family’s fourth- and fifth-generations, who continue inviting consumers to taste the season close to home.
