By Lauryn Johns
Our guide to a favorite season in the Mohawk Valley
Fall has always been my favorite time of year, but growing up on a third-generation produce farm in the Mohawk Valley, I suppose I never really stood a chance.
Some of my earliest memories are in the pumpkin fields with my dad, mom, brother and cousins. From the time I was 4, I was out there with them, muddy and helping pick, long before I understood how much work went into growing what eventually ended up on someone else’s porch.
The farm changed over the years, and eventually my dad moved on from pumpkins to green beans, corn, wheat and other rotational crops. But farming was always there. I grew up in the fields, driving equipment and learning early what those long days looked like alongside people who make their living from the land. It gave me an appreciation for farms and farmers that has never really left me. It also made me a bit of a green bean snob, but I think I’ve earned that one.
I moved away from the Mohawk Valley first for college and later to pursue my career, but somehow, I ended up coming home both times. There are many things that kept drawing me back, but the familiar rhythm of fall has always been one of them: cooler mornings, changing leaves, the smell of soil and the steady work of harvest. So much of what I love about this region is wrapped up in those memories, from days spent in my dad’s fields to the seasonal stops and family traditions that, no matter how far away I went, always felt like home.
And I’ve already gotten a head start on those traditions this year. So far, I’ve been to North Star Orchards, Fly Creek Cider Mill, Cullen Pumpkin Farm, and Casler Flower Farm with plenty more fall season stops still on my list to check off.
Across the Mohawk Valley and surrounding countryside, orchards and family farms have been growing food and welcoming visitors for decades, and in some cases, centuries. Some are working farms first, with a simple stand at the end of the driveway. Others have grown into full fall destinations with wagon rides, corn mazes, farm markets and activities for the kids. Many have been here for generations. What they share are the families behind them, tending the land, growing the food and carrying on traditions that have become part of fall for the rest of us, too.
Last year, Carrie and RoAnn hit the road for a cider and donut tour, visiting some of the Mohawk Valley’s favorite fall stops along the way. This year, we wanted to take it a little further and put together a guide to even more of the orchards, pumpkin farms, cider mills and local growers that make this season so special.
Maybe it is because of the way I grew up, but when I visit these places now, I find myself thinking about the generations on both sides of the farm stand. There are the families who have spent years, sometimes generations, growing what we come to pick and buy. And then there are the families who return year after year, building traditions of their own.
I think about that for my own future, too. Someday, I hope to share these places with my own children: choosing a pumpkin, eating a warm cider donut, walking through an orchard and coming home with muddy shoes and a car full of fall.
So pick the apples, find the perfect pumpkin, grab the cider and, of course, don’t skip the donut. Take the kids through the corn maze, stop at the farm stand and make a day of it. There is always another back road to follow, another farm to discover and another reason to enjoy fall in the Mohawk Valley.
APPLE COUNTRY
Orchards, cider and the taste of fall
Around here, apple season isn’t something you simply mark on a calendar. You know when it arrives because cars start turning down country roads with empty bags in the back seat, cider donuts begin disappearing almost as quickly as they are made, and families head out in search of their favorite orchard.
Every stop has its own personality, and that is part of what makes apple season so much fun.
The family story at Bellinger’s Orchard in Fultonville stretches back more than 200 years. The Bellingers’ farming roots in the area began in 1804, and generations later, the orchard is still very much a family affair. There is plenty to do in the fall, from apples and pumpkins to cider donuts and seasonal activities, but part of the charm is simply being there when the orchard is busy and the season is in full swing. You see families who have clearly made it part of their yearly routine, and it is easy to understand why.
685 Argersinger Road, Fultonville • (518) 922-8558
Apple growing is a family tradition now in its third generation at Rogers Family Orchards in Johnstown. Families return for apples, cider and cider donuts, but also for the comfort of going back to a place they know. There is something especially nice about seeing children in the orchard and knowing that some of the adults with them probably came there when they were young, too.
260 County Hwy 131, Johnstown • (518) 762-8736
The farm market is a big part of the experience at North Star Orchards in Westmoreland, with fresh produce, baked goods, cider, flowers and plenty of seasonal favorites all in one place. The orchard has grown over the years, but it still feels connected to the family behind it and to the people who return each season. There is always something new to find depending on the time of year, whether you are stopping for apples, picking up cider and donuts, browsing the greenhouse or filling a bag with produce from the market. It is the kind of place where you can make a quick stop or stay a little longer, and for many families, visiting North Star has simply become part of the fall routine.
4741 NY-233, Westmoreland • (315) 853-1024
Sand Flats Orchard in Fonda is one of those easy fall stops that seems to offer a little bit of everything. Apples, cider, donuts dusted with cinnamon sugar straight out of the fryer and pumpkins give you plenty of reasons to pull in. Once you do, it is easy to slow down and stay awhile. It has the kind of relaxed feel that makes a quick orchard run turn into part of the afternoon.
371 Martin Road, Fonda • (518) 853-4999
Visitors to Windy Hill Orchard West in Cassville can head into the orchard to pick their own apples before stopping at the farm market for fresh-made cider donuts and cider pressed right on the premises using the orchard’s own homegrown apples. Inside, you’ll also find plenty of fall extras, from homemade fudge and jams to mums, local honey, maple syrup and New York cheese. Add in live music events throughout the season, and it is an easy place to settle into a fall afternoon.
577 East Street, Cassville • (315) 822-0046
For something smaller and a little more tucked away, Lakeview Orchard in Mayfield offers pick-your-own apples along with seasonal vegetables, cider, baked goods and farm market favorites. It is an easy place to stop when you are out exploring, and one of those spots where you can take your time, pick what is in season and come home with a little more than you planned.
133 County Hwy 123, Mayfield • (518) 613-4070
There is enough at Fly Creek Cider Mill & Orchard to keep you there for a while. The historic mill has been a destination since 1856, and today visitors can watch cider being pressed, wander the grounds and browse a market filled with Mill-made specialties and regional foods. Fresh-pressed cider and fudge are always favorites, and you can stop for lunch before heading upstairs to sample hard ciders and wines in the tasting room. There is a lot tucked into one visit, but it still has the feel of an old-fashioned cider mill, and we tend to leave with more than we planned on, which is, of course, part of the fun!
288 Goose Street, Fly Creek • (607) 547-9692
And then there is Clinton Cider Mill. It is not an orchard, but for us, it belongs in any conversation about apple season. You smell the warm cinnamon and fresh donuts as soon as you walk in, and between the cold cider and those cider donuts coming out warm, there really is not much more you need. After a day of orchard hopping and driving the back roads, it is a pretty perfect way to end the day.
28 Elm Street, Clinton • (315) 853-5756
PUMPKIN COUNTRY
Fields, farm stands and fall traditions
If apple season gets us thinking about fall, pumpkin season makes it official. By mid-September, fields across the region begin turning orange, roadside stands fill with pumpkins and weekends start revolving around hayrides, corn mazes and the annual search for just the right one.
For me, pumpkins carry an extra layer of meaning. Long before I was writing about local farms, I was a little girl following my dad through the fields. From the age of 4, I was muddy, bundled up and helping him pick. I may not have understood all the work that went into growing those pumpkins at the time, but I knew the fields mattered and that there was something special about bringing people food grown right here at home.
At Cullen Pumpkin Farm in Richfield Springs, fall is a family tradition more than 70 years in the making. The Shypski family farm began in 1953 as a dairy operation before eventually transitioning to sweet corn, hay and, by the mid-1980s, pumpkins. Today, John Shypski and Ellen Coogan operate the farm alongside John’s brothers, Tom and Richard, continuing the dream their father started. Each year, the family hand-plants an incredible 20,000 to 30,000 pumpkin seeds and spends months preparing the farm for fall. But perhaps the most meaningful part comes when the gates open and generations return. Children who once visited Cullen are now bringing their own kids to pick pumpkins, ride the wagons and make memories, carrying a family tradition at the farm from one generation to the next.
587 Cullen Rd., Richfield Springs • (315) 867-3878
Generations of the Will family have worked the land at Will’s Cackleberry Castle Pumpkin Farm in Camden, and over time the farm has become a fall tradition for families throughout the area. What began with chickens, produce and a pumpkin patch eventually grew to include hayrides, a corn maze and plenty for kids to explore. Today, Misty and Chris continue that tradition with help from their family and crew, welcoming visitors back each season for the kind of simple fall outing that often becomes part of a family’s own yearly routine.
1175 Hillsboro Rd., Camden • (315) 245-0104
Of course, not every fall stop has to come with a corn maze or a full afternoon of activities. Across the Mohawk Valley, smaller farms, greenhouses and roadside stands offer their own version of the season, whether that means pumpkins stacked by the roadside, rows of colorful mums or everything you need to dress up the front porch for fall.
Michael’s Greenhouse and Florist in Sauquoit is one of those places where the changing season shows up in what is growing. Owner Michael Riccardi purchased the former Strawberry Geranium in 2012 and has been growing flowers and plants there ever since, starting seeds as early as February and tending them through the season. Come fall, the greenhouse fills with seasonal favorites, including mums, pumpkins, cornstalks and hay bales, along with fresh apple cider donuts and other baked goods. It is an easy local stop for bringing a little bit of fall home, whether you are decorating the porch or just stopping in for something sweet.
2774 Oneida St., Sauquoit • (315) 737-8181
In last month’s issue we deep-dove into the story of Casler Flower Farm in West Winfield. Tracey Casler began growing cut flowers in 2001, selling them from a roadside stand and at farmers markets before the business grew into the farm it is today. Fall brings homegrown pumpkins, mums, cornstalks and seasonal décor, giving visitors plenty of reasons to make the trip as the leaves begin to change. What began as a small roadside flower stand has become a place where families return throughout the seasons, including for pumpkins and all those familiar touches that make it feel like fall.
895 Babcock Hill Rd., West Winfield • (315) 822-5135
Fall comes straight from the fields at Tassleberry Farm in Westmoreland. The third-generation family farm has transitioned from dairy farming to cash crops and today manages nearly 350 acres, growing everything from strawberries and peas to sweet corn, pumpkins, fall squash, soybeans and wheat. Sweet corn can continue into October, with pumpkins and plenty of fall décor available as harvest season gets underway. The farm stand operates on the honor system, making it the kind of simple roadside stop where you can pull in, pick up something grown locally and be on your way.
4879 Stop 7 Road, Westmoreland • (315) 794-9208 / (315) 941-8192
And those are only a few. Throughout the region, pumpkins and fall flowers begin appearing at farm markets, greenhouses and roadside stands you may have driven past a hundred times without stopping. Some are destinations you plan an afternoon around. Others are the places you spot from the road, turn around for and leave with a pumpkin in the trunk and a mum squeezed onto the back seat. Part of the fun is finding those smaller places and bringing home something grown just down the road.
Behind all of it is a growing season most of us never see. Pumpkin seeds were planted months before anyone was thinking about Halloween. Flowers were started when winter was still outside the greenhouse. Fields and greenhouses were tended through summer heat and rain, all leading up to these few short weeks when the rest of us arrive looking for the perfect pumpkin or something colorful for the front porch.
That is one of the things we love most about visiting these local growers in the fall. You may come home with pumpkins, mums or something fresh from the farm stand, but you also get a closer look at the people, work and traditions behind the season.
MAKE A DAY OF IT
Follow the back roads and see where fall takes you
One of our favorite ways to explore farm country is without much of a plan. Head toward Fultonville or Fonda for apple picking, wander through Johnstown and the surrounding countryside, or follow Route 20 toward Richfield Springs. Make your way through Clinton, Cassville, Camden, Fly Creek or Schoharie, and if you see a farm stand sign along the way, stop. Some of our favorite finds over the years have happened exactly that way.
For me, these drives are about more than finding a place to pick apples or buy pumpkins. I have left this area and returned twice, and every time I come back, the familiar farm roads, fields and seasonal stops remind me why this place has always felt like home.
Beyond the orchards and pumpkin farms featured here, family farms, greenhouses and markets throughout the region are selling apples, pumpkins, squash, sweet corn, maple products, honey, baked goods, meats, cheeses, flowers, mums and all sorts of seasonal favorites.
Some have been here for generations, while others are relatively new. Some have large farm markets and a full schedule of activities, while others have little more than a roadside stand and an honor box. Together, they’re part of the landscape of this region and part of what makes fall here feel like fall.
OUR FALL CHECKLIST
Pick apples straight from the tree, find a pumpkin that’s far too large and carry it anyway, eat a cider donut while it’s still warm and get lost in a corn maze. Buy mums from a farm stand, take the wagon ride, bring home cider and let the kids choose the weirdest gourd they can find. Most of all, stop somewhere you’ve driven past a hundred times but never visited.
While you’re there, talk to the farmers. Ask how the season has been, what’s growing or which apple they like best. You might find out which pumpkin makes the best pie or discover something at the farm stand you’ve never tried before. Chances are, you’ll head home knowing a little more about the people and places that make up this region.
And if you happen to find fresh green beans, take my advice: try them. I may be a little particular about mine after growing up around my dad’s fields, but that is part of the fun of knowing where your food comes from. The best farm stand finds are often the ones that bring back a memory.
Fall moves quickly in the Mohawk Valley. The apples get picked, the pumpkin fields empty and, before long, those same farm roads will be covered in snow. For a few weeks, though, we get to enjoy all of it.
So load up the car, bring the kids or grandkids, call a friend and head out into farm country. Take the long way, stop for cider and come home with too many apples and at least one pumpkin you probably didn’t need.
Maybe, like me, you will find yourself returning to the same places year after year. Maybe you will discover a new favorite to add to the list. And maybe, someday, you will bring your own children along and pass these traditions on to them.
Those are the fall days we remember, and the ones we hope to share.
Editor’s note: Farm hours, activities, crop availability and opening dates can change throughout the season. Check with individual farms before heading out.
