Vogel Orchard Crop Update

Vogel Orchard has announced Loring and Red Globe Peaches are now availble. They are open daily from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm with fresh pickings. You may call ahead to 830-644-2404 to check availability and reserve your boxes.

Peach Tree Planting Day at Vogel Orchard - 2/27

Vogel Orchard, a family-owned peach grower and market located at 12862 East US Hwy 290 near Stonewall, will hold its first Peach Tree Planting Day on Saturday, February 27 at 9:00 a.m. Join the fun and learn more about peach tree planting and care, take orchard tours, and enjoy a Texas German-style barbeque picnic all provided with registration fee. Registrants will also receive two to three bare peach trees. For information and to register, call 830-456-2337.

Peaches available at Marburger Orchard

Marburger Orchard, located at 559 Kuhlmann Rd., near Fredericksburg, has announced that the Regal and Gold Prince peach varieties at the orchard are now available for picking, along with blackberries, strawberries and a few vegetables. For orchard hours of operation, call 830-997-9433.

Visitors' Center Peach Forecast

The Fredericksburg Visitors Center released this information about this year's peach crop:

Jamey Vogel of Vogel Orchard has kindly provided this peach crop update, noting that the crop looks good. Ripening appears to be a few days behind schedule which will mean a slightly later start, possibly with roadside markets beginning around May 20 or 25. The harvest volume will be weaker than normal for the first few weeks, due to freeze losses. By June, however, the market should pick up and be plentiful through the end of July. The lack of significant rain has not affected the crop as peaches seem to be sizing sufficiently. Thanks, Jamey!

Peach Blossom Trail

Gillespie County is the largest peach-producing county in Texas, with over 1,400 acres of peaches in commercial production, accounting for 40% of Texas’ peach crop. Most of the orchards are in the sandy soil near Stonewall, home to the Peach Jamboree held the third weekend in June. Peach trees begin blooming in March, signaling the arrival of Spring.

Suggested driving route to see peach blossoms between Fredericksburg and Stonewall in Gillespie County:

From Fredericksburg, drive east on Hwy. 290 13 miles to Gellerman Lane. Turn left on Gellerman Lane - Vogel’s Peach stand is on the corner. Along Hwy 290 you will see numerous peach stands and several orchards are visible from the highway.

Gellerman Lane is home to one of the largest concentrations of peach trees in Texas. Several families have their orchards in this sandy-soil area and there are about 300 acres of peach trees. Three to four miles north of Hwy. 290, orchards are visible for more than a mile. Continue on Gellerman Lane to the intersection of FM 2721. Turn left (west) on FM 2721 toward Fredericksburg.

At the intersection of FM 2721 and FM 1631, go straight on FM 1631. There is another large orchard on the left a few miles past the intersection. Seven miles from the intersection, FM 1631 intersects Main Street. This route is about 35 miles in length and should take 45-50 minutes to drive.

Cold Weather Good for Peach Crop

Jamey Vogel of Vogel Orchard, recently said a cold, wet January is exactly what the peach orchards need. The “chilling hours” are necessary to allow the buds to break dormancy later on and also deter insects and diseases. The moisture is important at this time of the year for root growth and development. Of course, there are still spring storms to contend with, but the peach growers are optimistic at this point.