How to Pick a Peach

We finally got around to peach picking. Procrastinating worked in our favor this year since peach-ripening overlapped with the ripening of Mac, Gala and Seek No Further apples at one of our favorite orchards. So we are actually ahead of schedule when it comes to picking apples.

If you are looking for an agri-tourist destination for your family, this orchard is not the place to go. It's called the Nicewicz Family Orchard in Bolton, Mass. They pronounce it NEE-shway, but I like to call it the Nice Witch Orchard. That's how I would personally pronounce Nicewicz if it were my name .... In fact, I may change the pronunciation of Gasdaska to 'Nicewitch.'

We know a half-dozen ways of getting to the Nice Witch Orchard because we've tried them all. My favorite route involves what I think is the intersection of Peach Hill Road, Peach Orchard Road, Orchard Road and Orchard Hill Road. Which is which? Don't ask me. I'm too busy looking for Whaddayacallit Road which is listed as Waddaquadock Road on Google maps. Look, I'm pretty sure 'Waddaquadock' is pronounced 'Whaddayacallit' ....

The people at Nicewiecz are really, er, nice which makes us feel welcome. I always starve myself before picking there because they encourage you to sample the fruit. 'Find a tree you like!' they tell us. They also taught us the proper, no-squeeze method to pick a peach: Thread the stem through your fingers, cupping the top of the fruit, then pull down.

It was hard to stop grazing on the peaches and switch to apples. Our bags (and stomachs) filled in about 15 minutes and we never did find the Seek No Further trees. Maybe they were behind the Hide n Seek trees. On Hide N Seek Orchard Hill Road.

How do you like them apples? These Galas were beautiful, juicy, crunchy and sweet.

So we bought some onions and corn while hearing about how construction on the new barn was delayed again this season in favor of watering the trees amid the summer drought. The knowledgeable farm stand employee also packed us a SWAG bag of nectarines and Asian pears to enjoy.

Peachy, right? 

The most challenging part of fruit picking involves getting the produce home intact on roads named with words like Hill, Steep, Orchard, Winding, and Narrow. We found that the best method to keep the fruit from rolling out of the bag and under the brake pedal is to strap the bags in the back seat. Lap and shoulder restraints for precious cargo. Airbags on stand-by.

We made it home without damage, but recalculating our total expenditure revealed we underpaid. I think I was so involved in conversation with the farm stand employee I gave her money for an incomplete tally. It was only short by three bucks, but I still feel terrible considering she was so helpful and nice which makes me wish I could simultaneously do arithmetic and be nice which I am just realizing she couldn't do either.

We do plan on returning this season for more apples so I will be sure to make good. Meanwhile, I have successfully deflected family requests for pies and tarts by waving my swollen thumb with its mean-looking puncture wound which I really didn't self-inflict in order to get out of pie-making although that sounds like a good plan now that I think about it. As Peachy Carnehan from Kipling's 'The Man Who Would Be King' said,

'Let us seek safety on the battlefield.'

... It's too bad the Nicewicz Family Orchard's Web page is experiencing technical difficulties or I would include a link. It's located on Sawyer Hill Road in Bolton. I could post directions, but that won't help you much. Trust me. The GPS lady has suffered a loss in credibility too ever since she started sending tourists to Walden Pond in Lynn instead of Concord. I am afraid trying to program the aforementioned four-way intersection might bring down a satellite.

However, if you wander around the higher elevations of Worcester or Middlesex County no doubt you will stumble across one orchard or another. The peaches will be good for another few weeks, so even if you get lost at least you won't starve to death.

'Ol' poor Peachy, who never done them any harm, just hung there ....'

Go read Kipling ....

















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