this is the first in 4 years that we did not have a frost, but we had a tremendous amout of rain. We have to watch the bees.....as soon as they start to sting the peaches we take them all off that tree.....we let them ripen up on the porch....takes 1 to 2 days depending on the size of the peach....we do not wash them......any that we don't want to ripen we put in the refrigerator unwashed......if you wash them they will mold up.