There’s good news on the local produce front. Growers are expecting a great peach crop this year, and you can expect to find a few early varieties at select farmers markets, such as Good Local, starting the weekend of May 16.
Ham Orchards just outside Terrell will follow with its opening on May 23 this year, a little later than usual.
And you’ll see some changes at this beloved Northeast Texas peach destination. No more elbow-to-elbow shopping in the quaint store or noshing on barbecue in a rocking chair under the pavilion, at least for now.
“All our peaches ― we’re going to move all that out to the pavilion, like an old-school farmers market,” says Richard Strange, part of the family that owns the 100-acre peach orchard, blackberry patch and roadside market.
You can still purchase barbecue, but it will be to go only, he says.
As for the rest, the family is determined to follow the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to protect shoppers, Strange says. Those plans aren’t completely finalized yet, but will include social distancing as well as limiting the number of people inside the store where the jarred products, fudge, refrigerated to-go casseroles, pies, cobblers and other foodstuffs are sold.
The pick-your-own blackberries, which could start as early as June, will have their own small pavilion so that you can pay for what you pick without going inside the store.
Strange emphasizes that the safety measures are a bit of a moving target. He says the family will remain nimble throughout the three-month season, which ends in mid-August. “We will be adjusting according to safety for our customers.”
For the latest information, go to the Facebook page: Ham Orchards. 11939 County Road 309, Terrell. hamorchard.com.
