Clark’s Orchard boasts beautiful peaches
Bob Clark is the owner of Clark’s Orchard on Morgan Run Road in Coshocton. This year, his peach trees have produced a beautiful harvest of peaches.
COSHOCTON – Bob Clark, owner of Clark’s Orchard on Morgan Run Road in Coshocton, was surprised one morning while viewing his five acres of peach trees. His five-year-old Red Haven peaches glistened in the hot summer sun with a beautiful yellow-orange color that really made them something unique.
“The weather made it tough to have anything this year,” he said. “So we are thankful for the ones that we do have.”
The weather and the lack of rain weren’t the only factors that affected his produce this year. The cicadas also made their appearance on Clark’s land and he did everything he could to protect his fruit.
“I sprayed at least every seven days to try to control the locusts,” said Clark. “I probably should have sprayed every five days. They stung some of my smaller tree limbs.”
Other than the weather and other insects, Clark has to be wary of birds and other wildlife that will eat his fruit or even damage his trees. He said that a deer can severely damage or kill a tree in just one night.
“People have no idea how hard it is to raise fruit,” he said.
In order to protect his orchards, Clark has tied flash tape around tree limbs, placed plastic bags on a few limbs to scare birds away, and has installed a chirp system, which plays bird distress signals. He also prunes his trees annually and sprays for insects 18 times a year.
The 25-acre orchard, which was started in 1956 by Clark’s father, yields not only peaches, but plums, apples, and nectarines as well. Clark sells his produce at the Fresno Farmer’s Market each Saturday in downtown Fresno from 8 a.m. – Noon.
“We are locally-grown,” he said. “We don’t sell anything we don’t grow.”
A typical day for Clark begins with checking his trees, walking around the orchard and making sure there are no problems and that things continue to grow as they should. Clark picks peaches every three days and the best way to tell if a batch is ready for picking is to taste one of them.
“I like to work outdoors,” he said. “That’s my thing. People who say I have such nice peaches, that keeps you going too.”
Clark’s wife, Rita, does all the sorting and sales. In addition to selling at the Fresno Farmer’s Market, Clark’s fruit is also available at Buehler’s and Schumaker Farms.
Category: Business
