LONDONDERRY — Apples usually take all the glory at Mack's Apples, but this year peaches are being hailed as well. Mack's s holding its first annual Peach Festival Aug. 28 and 29 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.
"Orchard manager Mike Cross grows the best peaches you'll ever have," Andy Mack Jr. said.
Cross keeps the fruit the trees until they're ripe, then they are carefully harvested into boxes that have individual compartments that gently cradle each peach for its ride down the hill to the market.
Mack's is celebrating peach season with two days full of activities as part of the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture's Passport to Local Farms Tour, which highlights 60 participating farms.
Beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday, Mack's will offer tours, sampling and other activities, including face-painting. From noon to 4 p.m., Londonderry High School's Marching Lancers will serve pulled pork sandwiches, courtesy KC's Rib Shack, and Mack's own peach shortcake. Free entertainment will be provided by Ryan Orway from Wolfeboro and The Brooks Young Band, courtesy of the Transit Music Group.
On Sunday, tours, sampling and other activities continue beginning at 9 a.m. During the day there will be honey demonstrations by BeeRich Apiaries of Hudson and Hank Peterson will talk about his maple syrup production.
As the day winds down, there will be Mack's Apples 5K Cross-Country Race, organized by the Greater Derry Track Club, through the apple orchards and woods. Pick up pre-registration forms at the farm market. On Sunday, registration starts begins at 4 p.m., with the race at 5 p.m. For more race information, visit gdtc.org or call race director Eldon Burkinshaw at 432-9805. Also visit macksapples.com for festival information. The farmstand is located at 230 Mammoth Road.
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