Our grower generally picks a day or two before you receive your fruit and, by design, does not pick ripe peaches. Why? A ripe peach does not travel well. Also, a ripe peach left on a tree is very attractive to birds and animals.
So what can I do to ripen my peaches?
Keep ripening peaches under cover. Place peach stem-side down on (and under) a linen napkin, pillowcase, or cotton woven towel, as these fabrics breathe. This shades the peaches and keeps hungry insects at bay.
Keep ripening peaches out of direct sunlight. Make sure the fruit doesn’t touch and is kept in a cool place out of direct sunlight.
Do not squeeze peaches to check ripeness. Peaches are ripe when they smell like a peach and the stem side is pressed down slightly from its own weight. Squeezing or pressing the fruit can bruise the tissue, causing it to rot more rapidly.
Eat or refrigerate once ripe. If you have too many peaches that ripen at once you can refrigerate them to slow the ripening process. Once refrigerated, ripe peaches should be eaten or used within a few days.