Processing Apricots

Depending on the era, processing dried fruit followed different processes.

(See also Processing Prunes.)

1893: West Side Fruit Growers Association

Each season, the member farmers would decide whether they intended to sell their crop to the association, and indicated in advance whether they wanted the association to dry the fruit or if they would do it themselves. They would provide a signed agreement with an estimated tonnage. The agreement allowed the farmer to demand payment of 75% of the likely purchase price at the time the fruit was delivered, but in reality most farmers waited until the crop was sold.

Fresh apricots would be brought in by wagon and weighed on wagon scales. The fruit would be sorted through a Fleming grader and put into 50 pound boxes, then taken to the cutters. The fruit would be cut and spread on trays, then deposited in a "sulfur bath" for 30 to 45 minutes. The fruit was then taken to the field for drying. After drying, the fruit would be "returned to the warehouse and placed in the sweat for two or three weeks", then bagged and shipped.

Peaches followed a similar process to apricots.