Peaches ripe for picking at Date Creek Ranch

In the bright sun, Don Robhuhn examined the peach and squeezed it before he put it in the box with the rest of his fruit.
"It'll be ripe in a just a few days, then we can eat them," Robhuhn said.

The Sun City Grand resident and two of his neighbors traveled about 20 miles northwest of Wickenburg Saturday to Date Creek Ranch's orchards for the beginning of the season to pick peaches and summer apples. Hundreds of families throughout the Valley will flock to the 600-acre ranch for fruit from approximately 1,000 trees.

Robhuhn was invited by his neighbor and friend, Jim Pickens, to make the journey.

"This is great because you don't have to worry about all of the pesticides (like) on the fruit that you get from the grocery store," he said.

PHOTO GALLERY: Click here to see more images from peach picking at Date Creek Ranch.

Karin Knight, owner of Date Creek Ranch, said her late husband and children planted the orchards more than 30 years ago. The family hosts the picking season, where people can get fresh peaches and apples for $1.50 a pound.

Knight supplies the boxes, wheelbarrows and picking sticks.

Date Creek Ranch has been a working cattle ranch for more than 120 years, owned and run by the Knight family. In addition, the Knights sell beef to customers from cattle that are grass-fed and free of hormones, antibiotics, pesticides and steroids.

The picking season gives families the chance, Knight said, to have a taste of farm life.

"It's a way of life out here, and they can see that firsthand," Knight said.

Pickens said he picked peaches on the ranch for the first time last year. The Sun City Grand resident loved it so much, he brought his neighbors, Robhuhn and Larry Poinier.

"You can't beat the freshness of the fruit, so we come out here every year when we can," he said.

Diane Bowen of Peoria, visited the orchards with her husband, Ben, and their children Sarah, 1, and David, 3.

Bowen said Ben has been to the ranch for several years to pick peaches and apples. They buy grass-fed beef from the Knights as well.

"He's a cook, so he loves to come out here and get fruit for pies and cobblers," she said.

It's a tradition in Kim Lindvig's family to come to the orchards. This weekend, she brought her 13-year-old son, Jesse, but also remembered coming to ranch when her 18-year-old daughter was a baby.

"We've always done this as a family," she said.

For Lindvig, the peaches and apples taste better than those in the stores.

"The peaches and apples in the store taste so woody and icky, but when you bite into these they're so juicy and sweet," she said.
Thomas Hardemen, a Prescott resident, said he can't wait to take his 16 pounds of peaches home with him.

"A lot these aren't ripe yet, but they will be in a few days. I can't wait, because my wife makes a mean cobbler," he said.

Mitchell Vantrease may be reached at 623-876-2526 or mvantrease@yourwestvalley.com.

FYI
WHAT: Peach and apple picking season.
WHERE: Date Creek Ranch, 22 miles northwest of Wickenburg on Highway 93. Turn right at milepost 177.5 (look for the sign) and follow the dirt road 4 miles to the ranch.
WHEN: Daily from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. until fruit is gone.
COST: Admission is free. Peaches and apples are $1.50 per pound or $1.25 per pound if you pick more than 50 pounds.
INFO: 928-776-8877, 928-231-0271 or visit www.datecreekranch.com