Located in Hudson Valley, Fishkill Farms is the best place to be, especially if you love fresh produce. Over the years, things looked gloomy as real estate prices shot through the market, causing farmers to sell their properties. This affected the once-robust local produce market.
However, over the last decade, local fruits and vegetables have started to gain more popularity again. People have taken a keen interest in making jams, cheeses, and bread from fresh flour.
Initially, Fishkill Farms was known for its cider. In fact, it was more liked than beer back in the day! However, after Prohibition, orchard owners took their trees down, putting the cider industry to a sad stop.
Today, Fishkill Farms is about producing fresh vegetables and fruits that individuals can pick themselves. It is most known for the wide variety of apples grown exclusively on the farm, allowing individuals from different parts of New York State to make their way to the beautiful farms where they can pick and consume anything they want.
The History of Fishkill Farms- Everything You Need to Know
Henry Morgenthau Junior had just graduated from agriculture school, and in 1913, he decided to buy an apple farm located in the Hudson Valley. As the years went by, the highway system was built, and agricultural trade became more globalized. As a result, local farms as small as Fishkill Farms started to have trouble staying in business.
Morgenthau’s son, Robert, took over the farm by 1980 but unfortunately, a hailstorm occurred out of the blue that destroyed the fruits, rendering it useless to distributors and supermarkets. During this time, Robert decided to make revenue in another way- he opened the gates of Fishkill Farms to the local community, who were fans of their fresh products. After all, everyone knew that nothing tasted better than fresh produce.
With the Fishkill Farms more accessible, locals would come and pick fresh apples directly from the trees. This was one of the best decisions that the owners of Fishkill Farms ever made as the growing community gained access to top-notch quality fruits and vegetables.
Today, Fishkill Farms sells produce to members of the community as well as to individuals looking for fresh produce every weekend. A large community is obsessed with farm fruits and vegetables, especially since the farms introduced a pick-your-own program. The farm is in the hands of Josh, who ensures that it remains as valuable to the Hudson Valley as it was while his ancestors were alive, building a sense of community by providing good food.
Fruits Grown on Fishkill Farms
When you enter Fishkill Farms, you will be absolutely amazed at all the fruits and berries found here. There are nectarines, cherries, plums, peaches, pears, and of course, apples. You will also find farms of diverse vegetables that you might never have even heard of, let alone tasted.
Flocks of pastured hens are grown in the area. These hens produce the highest quality of eggs since they are given a diet of fresh grass and farm insects. In fact, it is difficult to find eggs like the ones found on these farms.
Apple Season at Fishkill Farms
Winters at Fishkill Farms are spent pruning, mowing, and hand thinning to ensure that the farm grows the best apples a hundred days later. This is an incredible experience for locals as they are given a chance to help and reap the fruit of their labor later, quite literally.
The best part is when the farm hosts families from different parts of New York State who come to Fishkill Farms hoping to interact with nature and agriculture. Many people are not available during the year, but they visit Fishkill Farms when the apples are growing so that they can spend a day surrounded by nature and appreciate its beauty.
For several centuries, Fishkill Farms has grown several apple varieties. These include New York classics, such as Golden Delicious and McIntosh. However, in the past few years, there has been a boom in heirloom apples and trees planted decades ago.
Today, Fishkill Farms grows the oldest type of apple that has been present in the US, known as Roxbury Russet. Moreover, they also grow Esopus Spitzenburg and Newtown Pippin- Thomas Jefferson’s most-liked apples! The best part about picking apples at Fishkill Farms is that you can find varieties that are unavailable anywhere else, making this farm exclusive.
Stayman-Winesap apples are grown, which are tart in flavor, as the weather gets warmer. Over time, these apples start to become sweeter under the summer sun. As the weather cools, Jonagold apples become popular- these are on the sweeter side. Every season has a special variety of apples that locals can pick and choose from.
Why People Like Fishkill Farms Apples More Than Those Found at Grocery Stores
Fishkill Farms is known to sell its fruits and vegetables to customers directly, cutting out the middleman completely. This ensures that the food is fresh and not stored over unhealthy periods. All the fruit here is picked ripe as the owners do not have to worry about sending unripe fruit across the country on bumpy trucks.
Everything grown on Fishkill Farms is 100 percent organic. No artificial pesticides are used, allowing people to consume fruit without the fear of ingesting toxic chemicals.
If you happen to visit Hudson Valley, Fishkill Farms should be on top of your list. Trust us; you will not regret setting foot in this magical place!