By KAREN BINDER Illinois Correspondent ALTO PASS, Ill. — Stopping short of expecting a record crop, southern Illinois growers say this summer’s peach harvest is promising a juicy bounty.
This is especially good news for orchardists following last spring’s killing freeze that still sends chills down their spines. Peaches have been a main ingredient to southern Illi-nois’ identity, history and economy since the 1830s. A Chicago Times article from 1866 proclaimed the Winter Brothers’ peach orchard in Perry County as “perhaps the most valuable crop that was raised on 50 acres of ground in the State of Illinois.”
Today, all of Illinois’ commercial peach crop hails from 1,600 acres in southern Illinois’ hills, mostly in Jackson and Union counties, which totaled 22.7 million pounds in 2006 and 22.4 million pounds in 2005. The largest yield in the past 10 years was at 23 million pounds in 2000. California now leads U.S. peach production, with a 2008 forecast of 1.66 billion pounds.
In fact, last year’s freezing temperatures between April 3-11 are partially responsible for the anticipated peach abundance this year, experts said during a recent University of Illinois Extension field day at Rendleman Orchards on Illinois 127 in Alto Pass, Ill.
One way the fruit trees recuperate from deadly weather is rejuvenating its bearing ability by producing up to seven times the blossoms the following spring, Extension specialist Elizabeth Wahle said, adding that the “very slow, cool spring should result in good sized fruits.”
“It was just a beautiful blossom this year,” said Sara Lipe, the newest generation running Lipe Orchards, which opens every mid-June south of Carbondale, Ill., at Old U.S. 51 and Boskeydell Road. “We have a very nice problem with thinning; there was so much. Everything is looking good.”
She’s not the only one excited by the bushel full. So are folks at Rendleman Orchards in Alto Pass, a six generation farm family. Ren and Betty Sirles and their son, Wayne, grow 20 varieties of peaches.
The first variety to ripen is the Flaming Fury PF7 in late June, with a different variety tending to ripen every week or so until the Rio-Oso-Gems come about the last week of August, giving them peaches well into September.
“I love raising peaches, just love ’em,’’ Ren said. “I knew we’d have a good peach bloom because of last year. It looks like everything is growing off just great.”
While the region’s peaches at one time were largely sold wholesale to giant metropolitan retail markets and canneries, most of the growers these days sell retail at the orchards or in local groceries, though some orchards, such as Rendleman, do work with as many as 250 wholesalers.
Betty Rendleman opened a roadside shop in 2002, the Rendleman Farm Market which offers freshly-picked fruit and vegetables as well as ciders, jelly, preserves, salsas, cookbooks and more. It opens for the season on July 1.
“Our peaches are what draw people here,” she said, adding that not a single peach was found on their Union County farm after last year’s freeze. “We’re very excited about this year.” |