July peaches

Summer is a great time of year to stock up on healthful fruits and vegetables. Some people are fortunate to have gardens, but where I live in Georgia, the animals are destructive and don't leave much behind for humans to consume.  Therefore,  I shop for produce when it is on sale, preferably when prices are $.99 per pound or less.  In order to enjoy our treasures year-round, I prefer the freezing method, using plastic ziptop bags that can be stored flat.

Georgia peaches begin arriving in the grocery stores in June.  I don't buy them then, because at that time of year, they are the cling variety.  I wait until July, when the freestone peaches are available.  They are much easier to peel and remove the stone from before slicing and freezing.  My family's favorite way to enjoy peaches is in my homemade pie.  I will also freeze one cup small chunk portions for pancakes.

It takes about six peaches to provide one pound of peeled, pitted, and sliced peaches for freezing.  

I write the prepared date on each sandwich ziptop bag, then store them together in a gallon ziptop bag.  My freezer is now stocked for a year, with enough ingredients to make six pies when adding one pound of frozen strawberries to each pound of peaches.  

Sometimes I prepare and freeze fresh strawberries, but only when they are on sale.  The lowest price I have seen this year is 3 pounds for $5.  Last week, I discovered a six pound bag of frozen strawberries for $9.98 at Sam's Club, which is the price all year-round, and the same as when fresh strawberries were on sale in early July.