Springtime Means Farm Tours...
...at the end of March and can go as late as mid to late May.
Local orchardists rely on large wind machines to mix warm air with cold air that tends to settle near the ground in an effort to keep the new buds from freezing. A wind machine is a tall metal tower with a fifteen foot propeller and a Chevy propane fired industrial engine. It creates a strong wind that covers nearly 10 acres and sounds like a helicopter hovering overhead. These machines can mean the difference between having a fruit crop and not.
Most years, the Ela Family Farms tour is the perfect time to explore the beginning of the growing season in the North Fork Valley. The tour ranges from how they pack and cool the fruit, to their commercial kitchen, to how they grow their fruit. They’ll even graft a couple of trees, run a wind machine and show you their newest trees. The mid-day tour is great for the whole family and the best part…It’s free! For the adults in your group, the Ela’s usually organize self-guided winery and distillery tours and a farm to table dinner, as well. While the tours are free, they do charge for the Saturday night dinner.
So mark your calendar for next year and check in at www.elafamilyfarm.com for the dates of their next tour and where you can find them at farm market around the state; Or just sign up for one of their CSA’s because “Fruit is Sweet All Season Long” in the North Fork.
Local orchardists rely on large wind machines to mix warm air with cold air that tends to settle near the ground in an effort to keep the new buds from freezing. A wind machine is a tall metal tower with a fifteen foot propeller and a Chevy propane fired industrial engine. It creates a strong wind that covers nearly 10 acres and sounds like a helicopter hovering overhead. These machines can mean the difference between having a fruit crop and not.
Most years, the Ela Family Farms tour is the perfect time to explore the beginning of the growing season in the North Fork Valley. The tour ranges from how they pack and cool the fruit, to their commercial kitchen, to how they grow their fruit. They’ll even graft a couple of trees, run a wind machine and show you their newest trees. The mid-day tour is great for the whole family and the best part…It’s free! For the adults in your group, the Ela’s usually organize self-guided winery and distillery tours and a farm to table dinner, as well. While the tours are free, they do charge for the Saturday night dinner.
So mark your calendar for next year and check in at www.elafamilyfarm.com for the dates of their next tour and where you can find them at farm market around the state; Or just sign up for one of their CSA’s because “Fruit is Sweet All Season Long” in the North Fork.