Sun Crest Peach

The Sun Crest Peach is a large, freestone peach that grows in California’s San Joaquin Valley. The peach has a bright-red blush over its yellow skin and is fragrant and juicy. Unfortunately, not much is known of the Sun Crest because of its fragility and difficulty in shipping, distributors and retailers are unwilling to handle the fruit. The Masumoto family is currently one of the only producers taking the time to hand-select and pack the Sun Crest Peach. It is an old variety of peach originally grown in central California. More golden in color than newer hybrids, which have been bred to be reddish pink. The plight of the Sun Crest peach was brought to the forefront by the iconic Japanese-American farmer, Mas Masumoto. Over 10 years ago, with a warehouse filled with his year’s harvest of Sun Crest peaches, he discovered that no one would buy them because they were so delicate to ship. He was prepared to pull up his orchard, originally planted 40 years ago by his father who acquired the land and planted the orchard after his release from the WWII US Japanese internment camps. He wrote an essay, “Epitaph For a Peach”, describing his plight. The essay appeared as an editorial in the LA Times newspaper and the public rose up and beseeched Mas to save the Sun Crest peach. Mas has been one of the most dedicated Slow Food farmers in the USA and this peach has been a shining example of conservation and biodiversity.