Peach Picking

By Chris Eckert, 7th Generation Eckert Family Member & Farmer

There’s a special kind of excitement that fills the farm at the start of peach season. Long before sunrise, our crew heads into the orchard to begin harvesting the first peaches of the year. I rarely sleep well the night before—I’m always too eager to see that first load of fruit come in.

The first pick is usually light. We begin with early cling varieties and slowly build up to larger harvests. At Eckert’s, we harvest each tree up to five times, spaced a few days apart. This approach takes more time and labor, but it’s the only way to ensure each peach is picked at the peak of ripeness. Once a peach is removed from the tree, it stops producing sugar—so the longer it can stay on the branch, the better it tastes.

In those early days, our team focuses on training and precision. It might sound simple, but identifying perfectly ripe peaches requires a skilled eye. Here on the farm, we’re lucky to have team members like Martin Mauricio—who has worked in our orchards for nearly two decades—leading the way. With experience, a picker can harvest up to 150 totes in a single shift, all while working in intense heat and covered in peach fuzz. It’s tough work, and we’re incredibly proud of the care and commitment our crew brings to the job.

After harvest, the peaches are quickly transported to our packing house just behind the Country Store. There, the fruit is washed, sized, and packed for sale. When we’re in full swing, peaches can go from tree to shelf in less than an hour. You truly can’t get much fresher—unless you come out and pick them yourself.

The first peach harvest is always a meaningful milestone on the farm. It signals the start of a season filled with flavor, hard work, and the kind of joy that only comes from growing food for families to enjoy.

Hope to see you in the orchard.

– Chris