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["Penny White" <PlumHillFarm@gmavt.net>]

Hello, We have both Mckay and Balmer peachs in our orchard (Charlotte
Vermont zone 4B). THe Balmer has fruited fairly consistantly for the last
4-5  years. This year the bloom is very small even though the winter was not
as cold as last year (-23F vs -27F). I do not know why this is, as all the
peachs had significant die back this year but the plums are doing very well,
and the Kristin Cherry has the first good crop set in the last 5 years. The
balmer is very tastey, the Mckay is good but not as good as the balmer, but
better than reliance.
Our hardiest peachs are Reliance seedlings (granted they have been selected
for hardiness, the weak ones were cut down) but do not have the flavor of
the balmer or mckay. The Intrepid peach (starks) is also very good and hardy
but diid not bloom well this year. Lasr year the plums got frosted by a late
frost, and the peaches did well, this year the plums are doing very well and
the peaches are not.

Eric White
Plum Hill Farm
Charlotte, Vt.