J.H. Hale Peach

Photo: flickr user The Library of Congress

About

Exceptionally large round peach with yellow skin, hints of red and very little fuzz; yellow flesh, fine-grained and free from stringiness. It is of the freestone peach variety. With a pleasing taste and aroma, it is an excellent peach for eating and canning.

Information

Other names: Prunus persica

Translations: JH Hale persiku, JH Hale persikų, JH Hale Peach, JH Hale breskva, JH Hale Peach, JH Hale Peach, JH Hale Peach, झा Hale पीच, JH Hale Peach, И. Хейл Пич, JH Hale Ροδάκινο, JH الخوخ هيل, JH 헤일 복숭아, JH Hale Peach, ЈХ Хале брескве, JH Hale Peach, JH黑尔桃, JH Hale Peach, JH Hale Peach, JH Hale Peach, JH Hale Peach, JH הייל אפרסק, JH Hale Peach, Hale JH Peach, 公団ヘイルピーチ, JH Hale Peach, JH Hale Peach, JH Hale Peach, JH Hale Peach, JH Hale Peach, І. Хейл Піч, JH Hale Peach, JH Хейл Праскова

Physical Description

A very large peach with a fine golden-yellow skin, blushed with a red overlay.
Skin is smooth with little fuzz; flesh is yellow, and finely grained.

Colors: Yellow and red.

Tasting Notes

Flavors: Sweet

Mouthfeel: Firm texture, Fine flesh

Substitutes: Redhaven, Elbertas, And red globe peaches

Selecting and Buying

Seasonality: august, september, opctober

Choosing: Choose peaches which are firm with no soft or red-brown spots. Also avoid fruit with a green hue, as it may not ripen well at home. Choose yellow fruit with a red-colored blush on the skin.

Buying: Generally available wherever produce is sold.

Procuring: Grown mostly in Connecticut. A commonly grown peach found throughout the U.S.

Preparation and Use

Uses: J.H. Hale peaches are an excellent dessert peach, great for pies, cooking and baking. They are also a good canning peach and freeze well.

Cleaning: Gently scrub the outside of the peach with soap and water to remove any potential pesticides or other unwanted substances.

Conserving and Storing

These peaches can be canned or frozen.
They will last for a week or longer if refrigerated. Should be ripened before refrigeration, and stored in plastic bags when ripe. To ripen, place in a paper bag or leave on the counter for a day.
A ripe peach will stay fresh for a day or two left on the counter.

Social/Political

History: J.H. Hale is an old-time heirloom variety and has been used as a parent for many peach breeders.

J.H. Hale Orchards began in Glastenbury, Connecticutt in 1866, when John Howard Hale and his brother, George, cultivated thier grandfather's seven peach trees. A local trolley called the Peach King stopped at the Hale packing house each evening, and by morning, Hale peaches were sold across the country. The Hale brothers were the first to grade their fruit. George later moved to Georgia to expand the peach industry.