I’m not surprised that customers in the supermarket look for picture perfect fruit like red delicious apples. When customers take time to visit the farm to get better quality they STILL look for perfect red apples. My Gala apples that do not turn red are always the last Gala that sell.
Fortunately, most customers are learning to accept small defects on peaches and apples.
If I knew how to post pictures here I would show the Contenders coloring. I have some pics on my phone.
I think once that people taste fruit that doesn’t look like a picture and realizes the fruit tastes really good they will end up buying more. It is a bad habit most people need to get out of, looking for a picture perfect piece of fruit. If you ever seen a picture perfect fruit in a grocery store and take a bite of it. You would end up putting it down, they usually always taste nothing like they look.
I started taking back horrible tasting fruit to grocery store. I’m not paying that much for fruit and having the paper bag it comes in tasting better than the fruit itself.
I’m in the same situation. I hope to go a few more years or until the farm hits
my yield and revenue targets. Most of my orchard has reached its productive years. If the weather allows me to produce reasonable yields and I can sell the fruit for a fair price the next few years are going to be fun and profitable.
That way I can tell my wife that I really was right about the farm making money!
My best TangO’s this year are on trees that received little attention. I think splitting pits was more a problem with very aggressively thinned peaches, but on other years this produced the most amazing fruit. It’s always something and every season has a unique set of issues.
My notes say last year I picked Contender peaches on Aug 6. This year they are still hanging and not ready. I’m so surprised how well my squirrel baffle with grease is working out. Have not lost one single peach since installation. Will do it earlier in the season next year. Can’t figure out why they are still hard as rocks. Looks nice and red though. Maybe in a week or so. Can’t wait!
