BEDFORD COUNTY, Va. (WSET) — Even though the sign says Apple Valley, peaches are the fruit drawing attention in the foothills of the Peaks of Otter this summer, where they are ripe for picking and eating at Gross’ Orchard.
The orchard has been at its current site for generations.
“Our family started in Bedford County in 1858. And I’m the fifth generation here operating Gross’s orchard,” said Ronnie Gross, the current owner.
Gross said the land is well-suited for growing peaches.
“This farm is mostly sandy soil. My grandfather chose this site in 1954. Peaches do very well on sandy soil, where a lot of the farms in Bedford County are more of a loam,” he said.
This year’s drier-than-normal weather has helped boost flavor by increasing sugar content, Gross said, though the conditions also raised concerns as the season progressed…