At last, the holiday season is upon us! We’ve composted our farm-picked pumpkins and gourds, cleared off our Thanksgiving tables, and now it’s time to start checking off that December bucket list. First up, picking out and cutting down your very own Christmas tree! It’s not as daunting as it may seem – New York state is filled with Christmas tree farms within a couple hours from the city. Grab some hot cocoa, jump in the car, crank up your favorite holiday tunes and make a day out of it! See below for a list of farms just a hop, skip and a jump from NYC. POSSIBLE TREE SHORTAGE: Please visit the individual websites and/or call ahead for farm hours, tree availability, and tree-cutting regulations. DUTCHESS COUNTY Battenfield’s Christmas Tree Farm 856 Rte 199, Red Hook, NY 845-758-8018 Primrose Hill Farm 203 Fiddlers Bridge Rd, Staatsburg, NY 845-889-4725 Saltsman Tree Farm 214 Route 308, Rhinebeck, NY 845-876-8801 WESTCHESTER COUNTY Stuart’s Fruit Farm 62 Granite Springs Rd, Granite Springs, NY 914-245-2784 LONG ISLAND Dart’s Christmas Tree Farm 2355 Main Bayview Rd, Southold, Long Island, NY 631-765-4148 Elmwood Pumpkin and Christmas Tree Farm 1500 E Jericho Turnpike, Huntington, NY 631-368-8626 Lewin Farms 812 Sound Ave, Calverton, NY 631-929-4327 Santa’s Christmas Tree Farm 30105 Main Street, Cutchogue, NY 631-734-8641
At last, the holiday season is upon us! We’ve composted our farm-picked pumpkins and gourds, cleared off our Thanksgiving tables, and now it’s time to start checking off that December bucket list. First up, picking out and cutting down your very own Christmas tree! It’s not as daunting as it may seem – New York state is filled with Christmas tree farms within a couple hours from the city. Grab some hot cocoa, jump in
It's almost fall, y'all! This quintessential New York season brims with changing leaves, steaming cider, crumbly donuts, and apple picking galore. There are endless farms and orchards that you can escape to from NYC, whether you're looking for a quick day trip or a relaxing weekend getaway. Check out the list below and make sure your next getaway includes a visit to one of these fabulous farms. U-PICK FARMS AROUND NYC Please note that hours, offerings and closures may vary. We recommend checking out orchards on social media and calling ahead to confirm apple varieties and availability. 1-2 Hrs from NYC: Outhouse Orchards (Salem, NY in the Hudson Valley) Harvest Moon Farm & Orchard (Salem, NY in the Hudson Valley) Stuarts Farm (Granite Springs, NY in the Hudson Valley) Wilkens Fruit & Fir Farm (Yorktown Heights, NY in the Hudson Valley) Orchards of Concklin (Pomona, NY in the Hudson Valley) Kelder’s Farm (Kerhonksen, NY in the Hudson Valley) Apple Dave's Orchard (Warwick, NY in the Hudson Valley) Masker Orchards (Warwick, NY in the Hudson Valley) Woodside Orchards (Aquebogue, NY on Long Island) Harbes Family Farm (Riverhead, NY on Long Island) Giamarese Farm & Orchards (East Brunswick, NJ) Terhune Orchards (Princeton, NJ) Melick's Town Farm (Oldwick, NJ) Demarest Farms (Hillsdale, NJ) 2-4 Hrs from NYC: Barton Orchards (Poughquag, NY in the Hudson Valley) Cedar Heights Orchard (Rhinebeck, NY in the Hudson Valley) Golden Harvest Farms (Valatie, NY in the Hudson Valley) Mead Orchards (Tivoli, NY in the Hudson Valley) Montgomery Place Orchards (Red Hook, NY in the Hudson Valley) Rose Hill Farm (Red Hook, NY in the Hudson Valley) Prospect Hill Orchards (Milton, NY in the Hudson Valley) Greig Farm (Red Hook, NY in the Hudson Valley) Twin Star Orchards (New Paltz, NY in the Hudson Valley) Roger's Family Orchard (Johnston, NY
It’s almost fall, y’all! This quintessential New York season brims with changing leaves, steaming cider, crumbly donuts, and apple picking galore. There are endless farms and orchards that you can escape to from NYC, whether you’re looking for a quick day trip or a relaxing weekend getaway. Check out the list below and make sure your next getaway includes a visit to one of these fabulous farms. U-PICK FARMS AROUND NYC Please note that hours,
A lot of folks are wondering if New York's annual traditional of picking apples in bucolic orchards among the fiery fall leaves and baked cider donuts is a safe activity for 2020. EscapeMaker founder & CEO Caylin Sanders joined Heritage Radio Network to answer that question. YES! Supporting local farms and farmers is so important right now, so as long as proper precautions (Wear a mask! Wash your hands! Social distance!) are taken, apple picking is officially on for this season. Check out the podcast below for details on these questions and then continue down for a list of apple orchards across New York State. Heritage Radio Network's The Big Food Question: Is it Safe to Go Apple Picking? U-PICK FARMS IN NEW YORK STATE Please note that hours, offerings and closures may vary, so we recommend checking out orchards on social media and calling ahead to confirm availability. 1-2 Hrs from NYC: Outhouse Orchards (Salem, NY in the Hudson Valley) Harvest Moon Farm & Orchard (Salem, NY in the Hudson Valley) Stuarts Farm (Granite Springs, NY in the Hudson Valley) Wilkins Fruit & Fir Farm (Yorktown Heights, NY in the Hudson Valley) Orchards of Concklin (Pomona, NY in the Hudson Valley) Kelder’s Farm (Kerhonksen, NY in the Hudson Valley) Woodside Orchards (Aquebogue, NY in Long Island) 2-4 Hrs from NYC: Barton Orchards (Poughquag, NY in the Hudson Valley) Stone Ridge Orchard (Stone Ridge, NY in the Hudson Valley) Cedar Heights Orchard (Rhinebeck, NY in the Hudson Valley) Mead Orchards (Tivoli, NY in the Hudson Valley) Montgomery Place Orchards (Red Hook, NY in the Hudson Valley) Rose Hill Farm (Red Hook, NY in the Hudson Valley) Prospect Hill Orchards (Milton, NY in the Hudson Valley) Greig Farm (Red Hook, NY in the Hudson Valley) Roger's Family Orchard (Johnston, NY in Central
A lot of folks are wondering if New York’s annual traditional of picking apples in bucolic orchards among the fiery fall leaves and baked cider donuts is a safe activity for 2020. EscapeMaker founder & CEO Caylin Sanders joined Heritage Radio Network to answer that question. YES! Supporting local farms and farmers is so important right now, so as long as proper precautions (Wear a mask! Wash your hands! Social distance!) are taken, apple picking
Though your Labor Day Weekend plans may look a little different (and more distant!) than normal, there are still endless ways to escape for the weekend and explore the amazing treasures just outside New York City. From cozy B&Bs to sunflower picking to hiking and biking and craft beer tasting, mark the end of summer with an agritourism experience fit for everyone! Need some inspiration? Look no further. Visit Saugerties, NY! A quaint mill town, Saugerties is home to farms and wineries open for outdoor fun, tastings and pick-your-own-fruit. Stay for the weekend at the Diamond Mills Hotel and Tavern. Be it a romantic country getaway or family fun vacation, the hotel offers clean and elegant accommodations that everyone will love. Only 2 hours from NYC, south of the Catskill Mountains, this historic site overlooks the Esopus Creek where it meets the Hudson River. Within a short walk, you can rent kayaks, hike the gorgeous Falling Waters Preserve, go fishing or swimming. Call to reserve your stay. Explore Hudson, NY! Plan a weekend getaway to Hudson, NY and cozy up at The Barlow Hotel! Blending historic charm and modern touches, The Barlow reflects Hudson’s unique personality of funky charm and creative design. Located in the center of Hudson’s main thoroughfare, the hotel is just a short walk to everything there is to do, see and taste. Book direct at The Barlow website for best rates and availability! Visit a farm in Central New Jersey. Located within 1 hour of NYC, and steeped in agricultural history, Central New Jersey is known for its farms, canals, farm fresh food, wine and pastoral beauty. The area is filled with family farms, orchards, farm stores, delicious farm-to-table restaurants, and outstanding wine, cider and spirits makers. Escape for the weekend and explore them all! Check
Though your Labor Day Weekend plans may look a little different (and more distant!) than normal, there are still endless ways to escape for the weekend and explore the amazing treasures just outside New York City. From cozy B&Bs to sunflower picking to hiking and biking and craft beer tasting, mark the end of summer with an agritourism experience fit for everyone! Need some inspiration? Look no further. Visit Saugerties, NY! A quaint mill town,
Download Debbie's course, “Creating Farm, Winery & Craft Beverage Trail Overnight Packages” here. From the creation of the first private chef service in her hometown of Cleveland, Ohio to owning and operating a bed and breakfast for the last 13 years, Debbie Meritsky has cultivated a working knowledge of the local food movement and continues to promote her small family farms to locals and tourists alike. Through her experience, Debbie has developed extensive knowledge in the creation of travel packages, which allowed her to further utilize her relationships within the agritourism community. Debbie's business location in the Finger Lakes affords her an extensive selection of agricultural and craft beverage products and experiences to offer guests. In her training course, learn how to add customers, revenue and value to your agritourism business through packaging. You will get first-hand knowledge of how and why to create exciting agritourism packages as Debbie walks you through all of the steps. Using real-life examples, you will learn what to do and benefit from many helpful hints along the way. Best of all, you can create your packages with little, or no upfront cost, and quickly experience the direct benefit to your business. "There are three main goals in agirtourism packaging," Debbie explains. "1) To provide a one-stop shop approach that offers the customer an exceptional experience while they explore the best agritourism products or services in your area or region; 2) to create a new revenue stream for your business as well as the participating businesses in the package; and 3) to build a new customer base." Download Debbie's course, “Creating Farm, Winery & Craft Beverage Trail Overnight Packages” here.
Download Debbie’s course, “Creating Farm, Winery & Craft Beverage Trail Overnight Packages” here. From the creation of the first private chef service in her hometown of Cleveland, Ohio to owning and operating a bed and breakfast for the last 13 years, Debbie Meritsky has cultivated a working knowledge of the local food movement and continues to promote her small family farms to locals and tourists alike. Through her experience, Debbie has developed extensive knowledge in the
This past spring, the US Department of Agriculture released results from the 2017 Farm Census, which is taken every five years. For the first time, the survey allowed farming families to list more than one “principal” farmer. Couples who own farms no longer must designate one person—usually a husband—as the principal farmer. As a result, women as a percent of farmers has risen by 26% nationwide and by 36% in New Jersey. Some of this increase may be real—more women involved in farming than in 2012. But most of it is surely due to the methodology change, which finally gives women credit for their work in agriculture. You can support and celebrate these innovative, hard working, resilient women by visiting their Central New Jersey farms, farm markets, farm stands or dining in farm-to-table restaurants or farm-to-fork events where their foods are sourced. Nina White, Farmer & Master Baker at Bobolink Dairy Farm & Bakehouse operates her multi-faceted regenerative farm along with her husband Jonathan. Nina heads the wood-fired bakery, while working with Jonathan to run their cheese, beef, and whey-fed pork production. In addition to making bread and pastries with heirloom grains in a wood-fired oven and selling all of their products at farmer’s markets in the NYC metro area, they offer 1-hour farm tours, on farm special events and concerts, hands-on bread-making, cheese-making and charcuterie classes. Check out the rest of the Central New Jersey women who tirelessly work to put food on our table. Download the NEW agritourism map over at DiscoverCentralNJ.com and start planning your farm escape! And if you’re car-less, many of these farms are just a quick cab ride away from the nearest bus or train stop via NJ Transit or Transbridge Bus (New Brunswick, Frenchtown, Somerville, Princeton) with service from NYC.
This past spring, the US Department of Agriculture released results from the 2017 Farm Census, which is taken every five years. For the first time, the survey allowed farming families to list more than one “principal” farmer. Couples who own farms no longer must designate one person—usually a husband—as the principal farmer. As a result, women as a percent of farmers has risen by 26% nationwide and by 36% in New Jersey. Some of this
This past spring, the US Department of Agriculture released results from the 2017 Farm Census, which is taken every five years. For the first time, the survey allowed farming families to list more than one “principal” farmer. Couples who own farms no longer must designate one person—usually a husband—as the principal farmer. As a result, women as a percent of farmers has risen by 26% nationwide and by 36% in New Jersey. Some of this increase may be real—more women involved in farming than in 2012. But most of it is surely due to the methodology change, which finally gives women credit for their work in agriculture. You can support and celebrate these innovative, hard working, resilient women by visiting their Central New Jersey farms, farm markets, farm stands or dining in farm-to-table restaurants or farm-to-fork events where their foods are sourced. Central New Jersey gem Terhune Orchards is a family owned and operated 200-acre farm in Princeton, NJ. Keeping the legacy alive are farmer Pam Mount and her daughters Tannwenn and Reuwai managing farm and winery operations. Along with husband and father, Gary, they are 10th & 11th generation farmers in New Jersey. Since purchasing the Terhune Orchards, they have also become award-winning winemakers. Awarded Vegetable Farmers of the Year, they host annual themed family festivals every year and offer seasonal PYO strawberries, blueberries, apples, peaches, pumpkins and space for private functions in their barns. In addition, they host special wine themed events and tastings and special farm-to-table events. Check out the rest of the Central New Jersey women who tirelessly work to put food on our table. Download the NEW agritourism map over at DiscoverCentralNJ.com and start planning your farm escape! And if you’re car-less, many of these farms are just a quick cab ride away from the nearest bus or train stop via NJ
This past spring, the US Department of Agriculture released results from the 2017 Farm Census, which is taken every five years. For the first time, the survey allowed farming families to list more than one “principal” farmer. Couples who own farms no longer must designate one person—usually a husband—as the principal farmer. As a result, women as a percent of farmers has risen by 26% nationwide and by 36% in New Jersey. Some of this
Duke Farms is a leader in environmental stewardship and inspires visitors to become informed stewards of the land. It is a place of education, enjoyment and research that enhances the environmental health of the region. Through the beauty of its natural setting, the diversity of its wildlife, and the scope and quality of its educational programs, demonstrations and research, Duke Farms inspires people to transform their approach to conservation and to start building a more sustainable future. James Buchanan (J.B.) Duke transformed more than 2,000 acres of farmland and woodlots into an extraordinary landscape known as Duke Farms. Consisting of nine manmade lakes, over 18 miles of roads, over 45 buildings and a bucolic landscape, Duke Farms is a testament to J.B.’s ingenuity, resourcefulness and determination. After J.B.’s death in 1925, his fortune was inherited by his daughter, Doris Duke. Doris Duke was an environmentalist long before it was fashionable. She demonstrated an especially keen interest in conservation and horticulture. In her will, she envisioned that Duke Farms should serve to protect wildlife as well as be used for agriculture, horticulture and research. Inspired by Doris Duke’s guidance, Duke Farms opened to public visitation in May 2012, with a mission to be a leader in environmental stewardship and to inspire visitors to become informed stewards of the land. A visit to Duke Farms is an opportunity to experience Central New Jersey's native landscape at its finest, and to engage with it however you’d like. Located in Hillsborough on a 2,740-acre property, where over 1,000 acres are open to the public for self-discovery, outdoor activities, and education and research related to ecological sustainability. Check out their upcoming events here. Make a weekend getaway out of it and take advantage of all that Central NJ has to offer! Lodging details here.
Duke Farms is a leader in environmental stewardship and inspires visitors to become informed stewards of the land. It is a place of education, enjoyment and research that enhances the environmental health of the region. Through the beauty of its natural setting, the diversity of its wildlife, and the scope and quality of its educational programs, demonstrations and research, Duke Farms inspires people to transform their approach to conservation and to start building a more
EscapeMaker.com will offer the first-of-its-kind “Virtual Agritourism Conference” on its B2B site: www.EscapeMaker.biz, launching May 6th, 2019. The conference, presented by EscapeMaker.com and Fulton Stall Market, is not only the first digital conference focusing on the tourism and agriculture industries (agritourism), but also will be produced solely by women, 30% of whom are certified as an M/WBE (Minority Women-Owned Business Enterprise). Fourteen female industry experts will come together on one online platform to share insider tips, trends and best practices for preparing a business to capitalize on the rapidly changing travel landscape and to meet the demands of leisure, group, event and corporate travel markets. The interest in agritourism travel, i.e. visits to farms, wineries, craft beverage trails, bed and breakfasts, harvest festivals, farm-to-table events, etc., has greatly increased in recent years in the NYC metro area and everywhere as people get more interested in where their food comes from, how it’s made and sharing authentic experiences outdoors with their friends and families. Based on a survey produced by EscapeMaker for GrowNYC, many regional farmers and producers have PYO (Pick-Your-Own) operations or tasting rooms, but are still seeking education on marketing, event production, temporary on-site lodging, infrastructure improvements, insurance, liability risks, packaging and partnership opportunities, best practices in tourism and more. Each of the 12 digital presentations is 25-45 minutes long and includes access to information on financing from Kiva, plus additional workshop downloads and links to more resources. All combined, the conference is 6+ hours of education. Presented by EscapeMaker.com and Fulton Stall Market, the conference sponsors and partners include: Kiva, Edible Manhattan, New York Apples, Heritage Radio Network, Metro-North Railroad and Women in Hospitality United, all of which are organizations with a commitment to the advancement of the food, farm, beverage and agritourism industries and their stakeholders. The
EscapeMaker.com will offer the first-of-its-kind “Virtual Agritourism Conference” on its B2B site: www.EscapeMaker.biz, launching May 6th, 2019. The conference, presented by EscapeMaker.com and Fulton Stall Market, is not only the first digital conference focusing on the tourism and agriculture industries (agritourism), but also will be produced solely by women, 30% of whom are certified as an M/WBE (Minority Women-Owned Business Enterprise). Fourteen female industry experts will come together on one online platform to share insider
One of the most special parts about living in New York is the quick access to so many different Northeast regions, famous for their fresh air and utter beauty. Spend the weekend in Central New York, where you can take off on a rare adventure below ground at the Howe Caverns! 156 ft below the earth's surface, your journey will wind through limestone corridors, cavernous galleries, under massive boulders, until you discover a subterranean riverbed carved over countless millennia. Deep in the cave, solid rock appears fluid: creating strange formations, flowing sheets and dripping stalactites. Mysterious grottos lead off into distant, unexplored passages. Shadows hide secrets in deep cracks and crevices. The well-worn path twists and turns descending into the depths, downward to the glassy surface of an underground lake that trails off into the absolute darkness of the cave’s Eastern Terminus. An amazing experience for all ages! Visit Garden of Eve in Riverhead, NY for their Sunflower Festival Weekends (July 21 & 22, 28 & 29 9am - 6pm). For just a $5 admission fee, enjoy Fun Fields admission with 100,000 flowers, one sunflower to take home and you can cut your own as you explore the Sunflower Path (additional stems are $1 each), hayrides, farm animals and more! The farm café will include Sunflower specials and locally produced organic sunflower oil tasting! U Pick blueberries and other berries available! Get there via LIRR from Penn Station in NYC! If you can't get enough Sunflowers at these Festival Weekends, head up to Dutchess County to Hudson Valley Cold Pressed Oils. This year, they are offering U-Pick sunflowers in addition to their variety of sunflower oil products. Plan your visit for U-Pick fun from August 7 - August 12. Follow along on Facebook and Instagram for updates! Get there via Metro-North Railroad
One of the most special parts about living in New York is the quick access to so many different Northeast regions, famous for their fresh air and utter beauty. Spend the weekend in Central New York, where you can take off on a rare adventure below ground at the Howe Caverns! 156 ft below the earth’s surface, your journey will wind through limestone corridors, cavernous galleries, under massive boulders, until you discover a subterranean riverbed
