Interesting Facts about Peaches and the Peach Festival

Peaches

• Peaches were probably the first fruit crop and domesticated in China about 3000 years ago.
• Top 5 Countries in peach production - 1. China 2. Italy 3. USA 4. Spain 5. Greece
• Peaches contain no fat and no cholesterol and over 10 minerals and vitamins and only 66 calories per cup.
• A peach and a nectarine are similar. Genetically, there is little difference between the two. The primary difference is that a peach has fuzz on its skin while a nectarine does not.
• The peach is grown in 64 countries worldwide. U.S. produces about 20% of the world's peaches.
• The peach is the state flower of Delaware and the state fruit of South Carolina. Georgia is known as the Peach State.
• Peach growing began in New Jersey in the early 1600s.

Peach Festival

• 300 peach pies sell in less than an hour at the festival. That's five pies a minute!
• It takes nine people, three hours a day, five days a week, for 20 days, to sort through all the 'white elephant' items donated by Chester and neighboring town residents for the Peach Festival.
• The Community Presbyterian Church Peach Festival originated when an earlier tradition, a Swedish smorgasbord became too costly to operate, and the pastor of the time suggested peaches.

• The Peach Festival features its own exclusive blend of peach iced tea.
• Over 16,000 peaches are peeled for pies, jams and Peach Kuchen at the Peach Festival