Out & About #1028 | Peach Picking at Parkway Orchards NOTL

Ontario is a paradise of seasonal produce, ranging from berries in the early summer to stone fruit in mid-to-late summer, and apples and root vegetables in the fall. Various guidelines exist across the web to inform interested residents of picking season, which assists both consumers and local farmers in making the most of annual harvest periods.

Raspberry picking had been unsuccessful, thus I reiterated the need to undertake at least one instance of fruit picking prior to the end of the season. Such an outing was easier said than done, however, for ripening periods  of most fruit last for two weeks at most; the schedules of my browsing partner and I are not exactly fluid enough to accommodate weekday afternoon trips to Niagara. (I can hardly set aside enough time for chores on a good day!)

With these factors in mind, an incredulous amount of planning would be required leading up to the event. Peaches would be the next item of desire following berries. Of all the farms in the GTHA, there were few that offered peaches, and even fewer that enabled pick-your-own opportunities. Cherry Avenue Farms and Parkway Orchards would constitute the sole contenders, with opening hours subject to crop inventory and their ripening status. Hours and updates were provided on the farm websites on a near-daily basis. I had held out hope for either establishment, though concluded that the Winona Peach Festival for marketplace baskets would be the next best option should the pick-your-own destinations not be attainable.

​On Friday evening, I'd conduct my last check. Cherry Avenue Farms had noted a pending availability of blue plums but a low inventory of peaches; the Vineland orchard would be closed throughout the weekend to allow for crop ripening. This led me to investigate the further option of Parkway Orchards, though distance was hardly a consideration at this point. The website had been revised to included limited hours of Sunday, though a quick call to the farm informed that the hours were merely tentative. The man on the other end of the line confirmed hours of operation for Saturday, but explained that Sunday hours would be dependent on stock. This was a reasonable approach, and also one that steered our Saturday itinerary.

The agenda were further modified by an unexpected appointment for my browsing partner. In order to be back in the burbs by lunchtime, we agreed on an exceptionally early departure, as to reach the farm by their opening time of 9 AM. I resolved that this was the only manner to enable both peach picking and appointment partaking, thus dragged myself out of bed at 6 AM - the same time required by my usual in-office days. Anticipating standard traffic conditions, we were scheduled for a 7:30 AM departure.

​Congestion levels were highly manageable, however, and we reached Guelph Line in just twenty minutes! Never before had I experienced such peaceful conditions on the QEW in broad daylight.

Swift travels enabled a bathroom stop at Niagara Gateway in Grimsby. It was an ONroute-type fixture with a streamlined food court, indoor plumbing facilities, and information booth (with souvenirs). At our time of visit, all food vendors were observed shuttered with the exception of Tim Hortons. Surrounding the dining area were promotional banners for local happenings.

In contrast to the modern, brightly-illuminated ONroute stops, the Niagara Gateway presented itself with a casual, cabin-like appearance. While condensed into a small area, the bathrooms facilities were arguably cleaner, equipped with at least four dyson airblade hand dryers - not one bearing a speck of dust (Ahem, Square One!).

Continuing towards Niagara-on-the-Lake, we'd pull into the asphalt (not gravel!) lot of Parkway Orchards at 8:54 AM. We were the first patrons to arrive, but were slowly joined by other visitors as the clock neared 9 AM. Admittedly, it was shocking to see the handful of people that managed to make their way out this early in the day.

​At the front of the farm was a deserted Bake Shop of sorts. To its left was signage that indicated an entry point on the north side of the building.

​As more signage came into view, I hurried to quickly read all the text before proceeding. Most of the Farm Rules were self-explanatory: no outside food, no loitering or venturing beyond the picking area, no rough play, etc. But one rule stood out to me: "No Bags or Purses".
While I understood the farm's concern over fruit theft - quite a petty offence, might I add - there were a number of items I'd rather not leave in the car. Cherry Avenue Farms had noted similar concerns of theft on their website, but imposed bag checks instead of banning bags altogether.

​I approached the table within the shaded area, bracing myself to be told off for my small crossbody bag. The member of staff behind the counter said not a word to me, nor an older lady with a fabric tote. He curtly mumbled that admission would be $5 per person and peaches were priced at $4 per pound. Two plastic picking baskets would be provided for our use, though a larger cardboard one could also be obtained. Regardless of basket size though, visitors would be paying based on the total quantity picked at the end of the visit. This format would differ from Cherry Avenue Farms, wherein visitors would pay by the size of the picking basket with admission included within.

​The checkout station adopted a fairly minimal setup, with just two scales, empty baskets, and pre-picked peaches adorning the table. Parkway Orchards appeared to be operated exclusively by a Mandarin-speaking family, a hypothesis that aligned with my phone call exchange the previous day. While the son handled customer interactions, the older members, likely the father and uncles, led agricultural operations, verified the status of the crops, and occasionally returned baskets to the inventory area. Admittedly, the website was much nicer than the farm itself. The colourful landing page and concise updates contradicted with the obscene number of fruit flies, grime-covered outlets, random fabric chairs, and overall disagreeable demeanour witnessed on site.
Being extremely haggard still, the attitude bothered me minimally. My mind was resolute on entering the orchards for fruit picking.

After relinquishing admission fees, guests would route around the corner towards the orchards. Washrooms were situated between the field and checkout station, a sight that supplied much relief. With most, if not all, farms being devoid of bathrooms or taking to port-a-potties, the installation of indoor plumbing and proper handwashing facilities was immensely appreciated.

Our early morning visit would greet us with cool temperatures for perusing the aisles. The grounds were a tad sodden, causing droplets to adhere to our shoes and calves with each step about the field, while the base of many trees hosting clusters of fruit flies. Regardless, I was thankful for the absence of mosquitoes and blazing UV rays. Ample sunshine would peak over the trees and through the branches without scorching our scalps, allowing us to revel in the outdoor experience without unwanted heat and humidity.

In contrast to many apple orchards, there were few peaches on the ground. If present at all, they were largely intact, its surface bearing holes indicative of fruit fly invasion instead of human teeth marks. In reading Google Reviews later on, many visitors had rated the farm's banning of picnics and eating in the field as preposterous. On the other hand, I had always been confused towards those that had opted to prolong their stay, gnaw at unwashed fruit, and cause disturbance to others. The Farm Rules were reasonable from the viewpoints of the owner as well as for consideration of other guests.

We had been informed by the cashier that the first five rows were ripe and ready for picking. The trees closest to the main aisle were mostly barren, but, surely enough, plump, vibrant peaches soon revealed themselves as we continued over the damp terrain. These extremely fuzzy specimens were enormous; our 3L baskets reached capacity within a matter of minutes! My browsing partner suggested picking one from each tree, suggesting that having a varied assortment would be beneficial if one tree bore sweeter fruit than the next.

I'd base my decision on the texture of the peach itself, and whether any surface damage was present. Ripe fruit tends to bruise with ease, thus one should always choose slightly firmer alternatives to account for accidental bumps during transport. The vast majority of our picks would be firm all around and just slightly soft near the stem. This softness would translate to increased vulnerability, but ultimately did not impact the overall freshness of the fruit.

In roughly forty minutes, we had filled both baskets and even held onto a few that had spilled out. Navigating towards the checkout station, I'd notice a sign that enforced a one-hour picking limit. The sign had been reversed though, leading us to believe that the time limit may just be imposed during peak periods to manage visitor volumes.

At the checkout station, the same member of staff would assist us for payment. Our baskets weighed in 10.67 lbs, though I can't be certain whether the plastic baskets were tared or not. At $4 per pound, this totalled $42.68, which the staff member rounded down to forty-two dollars even. I handed him a $50, to which he responded pleasantly and even handed me back change with a friendlier tone. Without a doubt, the venture had been both pricey and time-consuming. I simply hoped was that the fruit would be usable (and not rotting from within like Chudleigh's).
In place of the flimsy plastic baskets, we'd be offered a larger cardboard box to transfer our peaches.

Naturally, I'd navigate toward the bathroom facilities after payment. Albeit equipped with low capacity toilets, the wooden stalls were surprisingly clean! I had anticipated dust, grime, debris, and other sorts of filth, but was impressed to find none. The handwashing station utilized dated apparatus, but satisfied all functional requirements. Another cluster of fruit flies hovered about a near-vacant wastebin; thankfully, they remained stationary and did not follow the trail of my hands.

​Around 10 AM, we'd depart Parkway Orchards for a leisurely drive towards McDonald's.

Temperatures climbed steadily as we eased into the day, resulting in perspiration that was only aggravated with the absence of consistent A/C in the car.

​Traversing along Niagara River Parkway, we passed a lookout ridge. Curiosity instantly piqued, I proposed a stopover. The self-proclaimed "Scenic Outlook Point" offered a somewhat obstructed view of the Niagara River running between the Canada and US boundary line.

A set of metal stairs would provide trail access and descent towards the Queenston Heights Redan, a canon symbolic of the War of 1812.

​The trail would split to continue in the north and south directions, denoted by trees marked with blue paint. The northbound path would remain unexplored. The southbound path was rocky and narrow; we presumed it to connect to Queenston Heights Park and the Niagara River Recreational Trail. In the consideration of time, further investigation would not be permitted. At reaching a less accessible lookout ridge, we turned back and climbed back to the paved temporary parking area. 

​Continuing with our planned route, we'd draw close to the bridge to USA - formally known as the Lewiston-Queenston International Bridge - before arriving at McDonald's on the outskirts of St. Catharines thirty minutes later.

At the order counter, a middle-aged man would proceed to hold up the queue by exploiting coupons in separate transactions. and paying with cash. His two grumbly sons watched the scene in silence with smug looks and sneering gazes. They did not appear to speak much English, taking to just nodding awkwardly when a family of three inquired of their presence in line.

When it was confirmed that the location had availability of the Ty Collector Glasses, I immediately requested it. Glasses would require purchase of an Extra Value Meal, leading to investment in a hearty-yet-satiating Sausage ‘N Egg Bagel Extra Value Meal. I succeeded in securing a Hash Brown at the early hour of 10:30 AM, though still deduced the meal to be more expensive than warranted.

During this visit, I learned that CAA provided discounts at McDonald's, however one could not obtain glassware if using the discount. Upon later research, it was found that McDonald's discounts were limited to the Niagara region and regrettably did not apply to locations in Southwestern Ontario/GTA.

In order to return by noon, we made haste and retreated to the A/C-less vehicle once more. A scenic drive through Port Dalhousie later, we'd hop back onto the QEW. By 11:30 AM, the WB freeway had already reached capacity. The observation confirmed both traffic- and temperature-related woes: Departing early was the ideal approach to combatting congestion and climate.

​I filed back into air-conditioned quarters by noon, marking the earliest return with my browsing partner to date!!

​Six peaches would be subtracted from my baking allocation. Then, I'd proceed with inspection.

​The peaches weren't soft to touch, but were indeed ripe for the pit detached easily. Their sturdy freshness and mild sweetness would making them great for snacking out of hand on the go, yet even more ideal for baking applications.