SHELBURNE — Ain’t that a peach?
Saturday was the second annual Peach Fest hosted at Apex Orchards on Peckville Road in Shelburne, featuring two days of wagon rides, apple- and peach-picking, a barbecue, peach-based recipes and foodstuffs, a cooking demonstration, vendors — like Sage Meadow Farm, Bart’s Ice Cream, Artifact Cider Project, Kelly Riley Design and Momma’s Homemade — and children’s activities.
On Sunday, Apex Orchards also held a peach recipe contest for Peach Fest, during which contestants entered their sweet or savory peach dishes to be judged for a coupon for future purchases at the orchard and, for winners, cookbooks.
“This is about all things peach,” said Courtney Basil, manager at the orchard. “It’s definitely much busier than last year.”
Those who visited the orchard this weekend were treated to a wagon ride overlooking the Franklin County portion of Connecticut River Valley, and, riding that wagon, traveled down from the hill-perched farm store to the orchard’s peach trees, where they perused the rows of fresh orange peaches, picking — and sometimes eating — peaches as they went.
“We have great local vendors this year,” Basil said. “And we’ve grown peaches for a very long time here.”
Peach Fest is a relatively new happening for Apex Orchards, and is among several fairly new and exciting ventures.
According to Apex Orchards owner Tim Smith, the farmland Apex Orchards sits on was split among a group of brothers in 1860, and a few years ago he bought back some of that land and expanded the farm, and also in 2016 opened the store overlooking much of Franklin County.
Smith’s mother, Dorothy Peck Smith, died at age 95 in March this year, leaving her son to carry on the legacy of what he describes as “her family farm.”
And so, with the new land and store, Smith recruited landscape architect Walter Cudnohufsky, who improved the fruit-picking area around the store and “showed us how to move people through acreage.”
Basil, an employee at the orchard for 10 years, said the idea of Peach Fest came naturally to those working at the orchard.
“We wanted to make (Peach Fest) a family-friendly thing, and something for couples,” Basil said. “It’s a great experience to ride the tractor, go into the orchard, pick your own peaches.”
According to Basil, the orchard was fairly busy during open hours at Peach Fest — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. — more so than the usual weekend, when people frequent the orchard to buy fresh local fruit.
“This is just a very family friendly, locally focused event,” Basil said. “We are definitely going to have a third annual Peach Fest.”
Other events upcoming at Apex Orchards include the Season Kickoff on Sept. 15 and 16, celebrating the orchard’s 191st year; the third annual Tractor Show on Sunday, Sept. 15; Wildlife Weekend, Sept. 21 and 22; Apples & Artisans, Sept. 29; and Spooktacular, Oct. 27.
Reach David McLellan at dmclellan@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 268.