Hours

Weekend of 9/18

taproom

3-8 Thursday

3-8 Friday

11-7 Saturday

11-6 Sunday

Farmstand / PYO

3-7 Thursday

3-7 Friday

9-5 Saturday

9-5 Sunday

*Please refer to Events Calendar or Google listings (Farm / Cidery) for private event closures or special holiday openings which may occasionally affect these hours.

What’s Pickin’?

Weekend of 9/18

Plums

Limited quantities of three varieties of plums will be available pre-picked in the farm stand beginning Thursday at 3 pm:

● President: This will be the final variety of plum we harvest this year! This late-season plum is a most beautiful purple/dark-blue European plum with yellow-orange flesh that is freestone, rich flavored, sweet, a little tart, and great for fresh eating, cooking, baking, and/or drying. Originated in Hertfordshire, England at the start of the twentieth century. 

● Stanley: This plum originated at the New York State Agricultural Experient Station in Geneva, was developed by Richard Wellington, and introduced in 1926. A beautiful blue/purple skinned fruit with sweet yellow flesh. This multi-use fruit is another prime candidate for fresh eating, canning, baking, and drying to make prunes. I made quite a few prunes for the Winter, and come February they did not disappoint. Perfect for snacking, with yogurt and oatmeal, goes well with applesauce, can be put in granola. Really the options are limitless. 

● Fortune: A classic California plum. Large firm fruit, dark red skin, and yellow flesh. A nice balance of sweet and tart flavor. This plum was developed by the USDA in Fresno, California and introduced in 1988. Great for fresh eating, salads, and jams. I have not dehydrated this one yet, but I suspect it could be a good candidate.

Apples

Six varieties of apples are now available for pick-your-own! All of this week’s pick-your-own varieties will also be available pre-picked at the farm stand:

● Early Fuji: New this week. This sport of the original Fuji that ripens later in the Fall was found on a limb with the mutation in a Fuji orchard in Washington and patented in 2000. Creamy-colored firm flesh and very sweet. Similar in flavor but ripens about 5 or 6 weeks before the original Fuji. This variety is located in the Center Hill Block and the two rows are located due West of the four rows of Honeycrisp.

● Cortland: New this week. A cross between Ben Davis and McIntosh, released to the public in 1915, and was the first apple released by the NYS Agricultural Experiment Station. Named for Cortland County, NY. Large, dark red skin, and soft creamy-textured white fleshed apple. Complex sweet/tart flavor. Good for fresh eating, best in sauces, pies, and salads. These trees are located in the Pines Block, the row directly to the East of the McIntosh, two rows up from the blueberry patch.

● Royal Court: New this week. A limb sport of the original Cortland discovered in Nova Scotia by Jacob Hartenhof. A relatively large apple with dark red to purple skin and white flesh. Complex sweet, tart flavor. Very aromatic. These trees were planted in 2016, have a beautiful crop load this year, and are found going up the secondary orchard road between the Center Hill Block and Pines Block, and found in both blocks.

● Gale Gala: This strain of Gala was discovered in a Washington state orchard and then propagated because of its redder than the usual Gala quality. Very sweet, juicy, and crunchy. Excellent for fresh eating, and also good in pies or tarts. (This variety is located in the Pump Pond Block next to where the strawberries used to be. There are 3 rows.)

● Pioneer McIntosh: This strain of McIntosh is very similar to the original McIntosh which is believed to be a seedling of the once prized Snow/Fameuse variety discovered in Ontario, Canada in 1811. The coloring of about half green/half dark red is very beautiful and the thick skin gives way to a very vinous, tart yet savory flavor. Classic! (This variety is found in the Pines Block, just up from the blueberries.)

● Jonamac: Introduced in 1944 at the NYS Agricultural Experiment Station. A cross between Jonathan and McIntosh. Acidic and slightly tart now, and in the next couple of weeks as the fruit hangs, they develop some sweetness and more balanced flavor. It turns out, these trees are some of the oldest on the farm here, planted in 1978 and 1979. For this week, look for the darkest fruits as they will be the ripest and have the fullest flavor. This variety is located up the main orchard road, Center Hill Block, on the righthand side of the road. There are four rows, situated between the Empire.

We will have two more varieties of apples pre-picked at the farm stand:

● Fulford Gala: The most widely planted variety across the globe. This is a solid blushed strain of Gala that was noticed in New Zealand by W. Fulford in 1983. Most Gala strains are identified by their stripes, while this one has a pretty, bold, and solid blush. This strain in particular is exceptionally beautiful - red with lovely lenticels. A true sweet apple. Great for fresh eating and dessert making.

● Honeycrisp: The legend itself is back! The highly sought-after Honeycrisp was released in 1991 by the University of Minnesota. This is a beautiful apple with mostly red streaking over a greenish background. The patterns and designs on the skin are quite incredible. It is pretty singular in its sweet cruchiness—a one trick pony, so to speak. The texture is rather rare in that the cells of the flesh are large and break away very cleanly, allowing the sweet juice to almost explode in one's mouth.

Pumpkins

Pumpkins are here! We source pumpkins from another local farm and place them in a freshly mowed field (between the larger Macoun trees that are on the left as you begin going up the main orchard road and the two rows of Macoun on the left in the Farm Stand Block. We have carving pumpkins as well as the small pie pumpkins. We will also have pumpkins at the farm stand.

Flowers

We planted a small field of zinnias again this year and they are really popping up and blooming now! They are located in the Center Hill and Pines Blocks. If going up the main orchard road, take a right as soon as you cross over the culvert pipe before you get to the first row of apple trees. Continue walking towards the right and look left. If going from the blueberries, walk up the secondary orchard road and they will be on your left and right after you've passed a few rows of apples trees.

Our sunflower field is now open for picking as well! They are located up the main orchard road, directly on the left after passing the Farm Stand Block. 

On the Radar

More apples (Macoun, Empire, and Shizuka) are on the horizon!

Join us in the taproom Thursday through Sunday through the harvest season for locally-crafted drinks and food pop-ups. Keep an eye on our events calendar for upcoming live music, featured ferments (tastings by other NYS makers), classes, festivals, ticketed dinners, and more. See you soon!

Browse our Food Vendor and Events Calendar.

See Rajiv Surendra’s recent visit to the farm for HGTV Handmade!

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Find Out More:

Address:  14 Rose Hill Farm, Red Hook, NY 12571

Conveniently accessible from I-87 and the TSP yet peacefully tucked away off the beaten track.

Directions from NYC: Take Taconic State Parkway N to exit 67 (toward Pine Plains/Red Hook). Turn left at NY-199 W. Enter Village of Red Hook, NY-199 becomes Market St. Turn right onto Route 9. Turn right at Fraleigh Lane. Make left into Rose Hill Farm.