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for the county, there are statistics for the number of acres planted here in peaches, and the pounds of peaches raised here as late as 1978. The period covered by the Comprehensive Plan for the county published in May (1964-1974) shows a picture of steady decline in the number of farms with peach orchards, the number of acres in the orchards, but not in the number of pounds of peaches from an average Rappahannock peach orchard acre.
In 1964 there were 23 farms with peach orchards: by 1974 that figure slipped by almost 70 percent to nine farms raising peaches. Acreage showed a similar decline in the period between 1969 and 1974 with 273 acres a in peaches dwindling to 126 acres in peaches in that year, a change of only one acre in nine years.
Peaches measured in pounds in 1974 weighed in at 1.15 million, and pounds per acres were 9,127. Because there are no really up-to-date satistics, it is impossible to accurately estimate how peaches affect the local economy. It is generally agreed, though, that Rappahannock peaches are of good quality. Several services are offered to the county peach grower and are coordinated through the Washington extension office. In April and May - crucial months for the growers - they are invited to weekly fruit meetings in local orchards, and specialists in all phases of peach cultivation are available for help.
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