Hours

taproom

3-8 Thursday, September 10

Closed* Friday, September 11

12-6 Saturday, September 12

12-6 Sunday, September 13

Farm stand / PYO

3-7 Friday, September 11*

9-5 Saturday, September 12

9-5 Sunday, September 13

*Please note that while the farm stand and pick-your-own will be open this Friday, the taproom will be closed for a private event.

*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’?

We will have FIVE varieties of apples available for pick-your-own this week.

Pioneer McIntosh: New this week! 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 for a good reason! (This variety is found in the Pines Block, just up from the blueberries.)

Gale Gala: New this week! 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.)

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. A friend of mine calls them "monotonal", and for those that love a properly sweet apple, this is a nice and simple pleasure. Great for fresh eating and dessert making. This variety is located in the Pump Pond Block (near the dumpsters) and can be found on the westernmost row. 

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.

Honeycrisp: The legend itself is back! The highly sought-after Honeycrisp was released in 1991 by the University of Minnesota. Most people rave and rave about this apple. Some despise it. Let them do whatever they are going to do. 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 crunchiness—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. The fruits that are currently mostly green will be better in the coming days as they mature and color up more. This variety is also located up the main orchard road on the righthand side after the Empire and Early Fuji. There are four rows that extend all the way to the Pines. There are still a lot of Honeycrisp on the trees (specifically in the Pines Block). Will they last through the entire weekend? That’s anyone’s guess. Come Friday or early Saturday to be sure to secure your load of FRESH PICKED Honeycrisp for this year. We will update the RHF Fruit Hotline in real time in the event they get picked out before the end of Sunday.

We will have all five of these varieties available pre-picked at the farm stand.

We will also have the following varieties available pre-picked at the farm stand in limited quantities:

Holstein Cox: While this variety was introduced in 1950, it was discovered in about 1918 Eutin, Holstein, Germany by a Mr. Vahldik. It is believed to be an open-pollinated seedling of Cox Orange Pippin and is quite similar in taste. It is typically a medium-large sized apple with greenish to deep golden-yellow skin with various levels of orange and red blush covering the skin. Occasionally there are bits of russet on the skin. The flesh is yellowish-white, firm, and coarse. A very sprightly subacid flavor that turns sweeter. Complex and aromatic flavor.

Gravenstein: A disputed origin, possibly Germany, maybe France, depends on who you ask. It was recorded in Denmark about 1669 and first exhibited at the Royal Horticultural Society in 1819. It is a beautiful apple, green to orange-yellow skin overlaid with broken stripes of light and dark red. It often looks like someone painted stripes on the apple with watercolor. And each apple is different in its stripes. White, firm, and crisp flesh. Very juicy and aromatic - a wonderful blend of tart and sweet.

Ginger Gold: A seedling apple variety that appeared in the orchard of Clyde and Ginger Harvey in Nelson County, Virginia in 1980. It is a medium to large apple (there are some real whoppers hanging out there now!), round to oblate, with green to yellow colored skin. When the skin turns yellowish, it is ripe, crisp, and juicy with a pleasantly sweet flavor. The cream-colored flesh is slow to oxidize making it great for salads and desserts as it holds its shape when cooked. COME GET THESE WHILE THE GETTING IS GOOD​!

Kerr: A truly special fruit. This variety was created by crossing Dolgo and Haralson done by W.L. Kerr at the Canada Experimental Farm in Manitoba and was introduced in 1952. Striking garnet red turning to deep purple skin, small, roughly 1-1.5 inches in diameter. A very condensed and robust flavor—sweet, tart, and heavy on the rose flavor. Great for eating if you are into a little more complex and intense flavors. Makes phenomenal jams/jellies. COME GET THESE WHILE THE GETTING IS AMAZING!

Chestnut Crab: (Melba x open-pollinated). This gem of a fruit was released by the University of Minnesota in 1946. Larger than your typical crab apple, averaging 1.5-2 inches in diameter. Mostly sweet, with well-balanced acidity, and a unique nutty vanilla flavor. Great for fresh eating, sauce, and pickles. As the children are headed back to school, PUT THESE IN THEIR LUNCH BOXES AND ALL THE SIDE POCKETS ON THEIR BACKPACKS!

The best place for pick-your-own sunflower harvesting this week will be in the Mid Pump Pond Block, which is found just to the west of the Fulford Gala row in the Pump Pond Block. There are also still plenty of ZINNIAS for the harvest.

Believe it or not, there are still quite a few blueberries, of the Elliott variety, still available for the harvest. We will have Elliott blueberries available for picking.

INFORMAL FRUIT CLUB APPLE TASTING
Beginning at 10 am on Saturday morning, at a table near the farm stand, we will have another APPLE TASTING. Come ready to learn about and taste some historical apples, cider apples, and in general legendary apples. I’ve already been collecting some apples for this event, and there are some real BANGERS that are not to be missed.

Join us in the taproom Thursday through Sunday 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.