Peaches and Blackberries, Oh My!

I last went peach picking in August 2013, but Mom keeps Homestead Farms and the other pick-it-yourself places in the Maryland exurbs in business every summer. She and her friends drive out River Road about twice a month between May and September, and come home laden with bushels of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, peaches, and, eventually, apples.

After making those two peach clafoutis with fruit from last weekend's farmers' market, I jumped at the chance to go picking with Mom yesterday. We were told they only had peaches ready for us, but we were delighted to find the blackberry vines heavy as well.

Between us, Mom and I came home with nearly 40 pounds of peaches, a flat of blackberries, armfuls of tomatoes from the seconds box, and bags of zucchini, eggplant, and yellow squash for ratatouille. It was a gorgeous morning, and the perfect way to round out an August weekend after a day at the beach!