In 1960, my father Gordon purchased a building in Stone Ridge that had served as the fruit stand for the Van Winkle family’s orchard which was once behind it.
It was small and open only during the growing season, but was a true farm stand, a place where customers could get a taste of the bounty of our farm. The stand has changed greatly since then. We are now open year-round and sell fruit and vegetables produced by other local farms in addition to our own. We also offer a variety of gourmet specialty foods to keep pace with the dietary desires of our customers, including choices for people avoiding gluten, dairy, high-fructose corn syrup, and GMOs. We sell specialty baked goods, including products from local bakeries. And our kitchen prepares cold and hot grab-and-go food, including chili, soup, sandwiches, and a variety of salads.
Our business has changed greatly over the years. We’ve worked to remain an old-fashioned farm stand at heart, offering regional produce like heritage apples, as well as products with a short season that seldom find their way to supermarket shelves like wild berries, wild mushrooms, and paw-paws.
And we still provide traditional farm stand favorites such as freshly-made cider donuts, hot coffee and cider in season, locally-raised meat and eggs, local maple syrup and honey, local bacon, and fresh-squeezed orange juice. We also offer our own fresh-baked goods, including pies right out of the oven and our signature Mimicakes. And you can count on our friendly staff to help you find what you need, answer any questions, and get you expeditiously on your way.
But the heart and soul of our business is our home-grown fruits and vegetables. Wondering what ripens when? This chart will help.