There's a difference between a good peach and a perfect one. The good ones make it to your local farmers markets. The perfect ones are too ripe to survive the trip; for those, you have to be standing under the tree. That's the idea behind the Masumoto Family Farm's Adopt-a-Tree program, now accepting applications through March 15.
Now in its 23rd year, the program allows teams of up to 12 people to harvest certified-organic fruit directly from the farm over two summer weekends.
Most participants are friends, neighbors, coworkers and families from urban and suburban areas, many returning year after year.
"So many folks are very disconnected from their sources of food," said Nikiko Masumoto, a fourth-generation Japanese American farmer and author. "We are trying to provide different portals of entry for folks to ask questions and wonder and be curious, and then get to experience themselves a slice of farm life."
This year brings a restructured format with two tiers: Junior ($950 for roughly 250 to 300 pounds of fruit) and Senior ($1,750 for roughly 500 to 600 pounds). How many individual peaches is that? It's hard to say — Masumoto said some Elbertas last year clocked in at over a pound each, while others were closer to a quarter pound.
The Masumotos recently added Baby Crawford peaches to the program — a grafted heirloom variety that helps buffer against climate-driven shifts in their Elberta peach and Le Grand nectarine ripening cycles.
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If you’re new to the program
Fair warning — the Masumotos are upfront that this is a sweat-equity commitment, not a leisurely farm visit. Expect potentially 100-degree heat and a full morning of picking.
Teams also need to hold three weekends open — the last in July and the first two in August — because the farm won't know the exact harvest dates until mid-July.
"We are not centering this around human ease," Masumoto said. "It's about the fruit and what the trees are telling us."
New applicants must attend a virtual info session before applying. The remaining session is on Feb. 24. The farm must turn away applicants each year — they intentionally keep the program small to preserve the community feel.
For those who want Masumoto fruit without the full commitment, the farm also runs a low-key drive-through where you can order a flat of peaches online and pick them up at the farm.
For more information, visit masumoto.com/adopt-a-tree. Applications are due March 15. Questions can be directed to nikmasu@gmail.com.
