The Suncrest is one of the older peach varieties we grow, and one of our favorites. You won’t find it widely planted anymore. As an heirloom, it holds onto some old-time traits: a fuzzy skin, and in most peach-growing regions, it doesn’t develop the deep red blush that grocery retailers now expect. More often, it ripens to a golden yellow with just a kiss of red. But here, under our care, it picks up more color than usual, not the bold supermarket red that most retailers seek, but a warm, sun-kissed hue.
The retail industry has pushed for peaches with vibrant color and little to no fuzz, but in chasing appearance, something essential is often lost: flavor. Suncrest flips that on its head. To us, it’s a beautiful fruit with its golden skin, but the Suncrest's incredible flavor is what makes it a peach worth preserving.
Suncrest is included in Slow Food’s Ark of Taste, a catalog of delicious and distinctive foods at risk of extinction. That recognition is a reminder of the role we play in keeping heirloom varieties like this one, and the genetic diversity they represent, alive and thriving, in our orchards and on our tables. We’re proud to be part of that work.
In Farmer Al’s mind, Suncrest ranks among the top three peaches we grow, right up there with Cal Red, O’Henry, and Gold Dust. It’s a large, melting, intensely flavorful variety, rich and sweet with just the right texture. Year after year, the best Suncrests we’ve ever tasted (and they’re hard to come by) have been grown right here at Frog Hollow Farm. Our microbially rich soil and expert tree care bring out the best in this remarkable variety.