The August 2026 Gather and Sow newsletter is all about peaches and other stone fruits.

Does the summer heat have you feeling drupey? Last month we broke down brambles for you, showing that their “berries” were really aggregates of drupelets. This month in Food for Thought we take on full-sized drupes––peaches, nectarines, cherries, apricots, and almonds. Yes, we know that the peak of peach season has come and gone. But now is the best time to grab the last of the market’s peaches, in anticipation of cooler days when you might appreciate a little burst of summer on your toast. We do just that in the Botany Lab of the Month, where we combine our favorite rose family drupes with fresh mint from the garden to make a jam so sweet and rich that it tastes like justice itself. Mmmmmm…peach-mint jam.