Make Memories At Your Local Farms
Summer is the time for seasonal fruits and vegetables, and there’s nothing like going to your local farm to purchase your produce! Many local farms also provide seasonal produce to our Hannaford Supermarkets as well. Living close to Schoharie County, I love driving over to two of my favorite farms to stock up on what’s in season. Schoharie Valley has some of the most fertile soil in upstate New York. Barber’s Farm has a wide range of vegetables, including kale, spinach, cabbage, potatoes, beets and candy onions, just to name a few. I look forward to their sweet corn and honeydew melons which become available in early August. When my son was young, he enjoyed coming along to see the dairy cows behind the barn, and feed them apples. He once had the memorable experience of witnessing the birth of a baby calf! Barber’s also travels to some areas in Albany County, and sets up their tables in a variety of outdoor locations, where you would have the opportunity to purchase their fruits of the harvest without driving as far.
Down the road about 5 miles from Barber’s Farm is the Schoharie Valley Farms, which is another family favorite. This farm, which used to be known as The Carrot Barn grows their own wild asparagus in May (around Mother’s Day). They also grow incredibly sweet carrots, along with other seasonal produce in addition to a large variety of flowers in their greenhouse, baked goods and lunch specialties. It’s peaceful to sit out and enjoy the farm and the picturesque Schoharie countryside while munching on one of their salads or homemade sandwiches. Come late June (close to Father’s Day), they sell super sweet local strawberries. Nothing compares to bringing home fresh, juicy strawberries and pairing them with local rhubarb to create a tasty pie!
The next farm on our route is Montgomery Place in Duchess County. The students from Bard College assist in offering their services in stocking and selling at the farm. They offer a variety of artisan and heirloom peaches, tomatoes and apples. It’s always fun to sample the different varieties and decide which ones to buy! One thing that all of these farms have in common is that they also sell local organic milk, yogurt, cheese, honey and baked goods from local sources, in addition to their freshly farmed produce. I urge you to shop for produce from local farms and other sources. Buying local ensures you obtain the freshest produce and help reduce your carbon footprint while supporting the local economy.
