Peach Park Thrives Despite Crop Shortage

Summertime is a chance for people to stock up on their favorite fresh fruits and vegetables. In Chilton County, that means peaches and as Alabama’s crop comes in, a local shop is doing its part to boost the economy.

Peach Park is a family owned business that opened in 1984. It was a full house, as customers say they come back year after year to get their favorite peaches.

Peach Park has BBQ, candy, ice cream, and of course, peaches and much more.

With a packed parking lot, it took no time to find out why people keep coming back.

Vada Landers has been coming to Peach Park for over twenty five years. She stops every time she travels to visit her daughter in Panama City.

“My daughter told me this morning to be sure to bring her a basket of peaches to Panama City,” Landers said.

Co-owner Mark Gray grew up in the peach business and worked at Peach Park as a teenager.

“My granddad had peach orchards and stuff like that so I worked in the peach orchards when I was real little. Then when I was a sophomore in high school we opened a produce market here,” Gray says.

Winter is a very important time for peach growing as they need a certain amount of dormant time.

Gray says dormant hours are any time that the peaches are in weather below 45 degrees. This past winter was tough though, as peaches grown later in the season, did not get as many dormant hours.

At Peach Park, peaches continue to fly off the shelves.

Peach Park is open seven days a week from March until November, so get your peaches when you can.

Meanwhile, The Chilton County Peach Festival,with music, parades, pageants and much more starts next Saturday, June 18th.