A VISIT TO WILKENS FRUIT & FIR FARM, WITH STOPS IN GIOVANNI'S AND A&S FINE FOODS

Welcome to Everything Croton, a collection of all things Croton--our history, our homes, our issues, our businesses, our schools--in short, EVERYTHING CROTON.

Another fabulous morning in the Hudson Valley....but first, coffee from Giovanni's---the "red eye" special with espresso shot is the perfect way to start the day. (ALL PHOTOS, ALL CONTENT, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED--click on the images and links.)

For those who don't know---and it's hard to imagine anyone who doesn't know "Gio's"-----Giovanni's Italian American Deli is just steps away from the train station.......family-owned...well-known for exceptional sandwiches and daily specials. Keep track of it all at their FB page. p.s. GREAT CATERING OPTIONS TOO; more about that here.

Next---just a hop, skip and a quick car ride later--we're at Wilkens Fruit and Fir Farm in Yorktown Heights.  It's pick your own peach season, soon to be followed by apples and pumpkins. And did we mention they have a CORN MAZE too! (Click on the photo.)  Oh, and a winery!

You can keep track of all the upcoming events, scheduled picking dates & more, at their FB page facebook.com/wilkensfarm/

And fyi: Two large out buildings---circa 1916--are set up for amazing produce, jams, honey, gifts and baked goods.  

You can also get homemade donuts made fresh all day and old fashioned candy too. 

Your editor highly recommends the Cinnamon Sugar donuts and who can resist rock candy! YES. OLD FASHIONED ROCK CANDY!  Still being made today!

And did we mention the antique Lionel and Marx trains that line the perimeter of the gift shop building! 

Heaven!

This is a family farm---founded in 1916 by John Wilkens, his sister Anna Wilkens, and Jeremiah Murphy with whom they formed an initial partnership...The farm is made up of 180 acres today.

In the early days, the farm was a successful all-purpose farm including cattle, apples and peaches....

 "While John Wilkens was developing the farm and building barns on the property (all of which are still standing today). Jeremiah Murphy purchased 105 acres to increase the acreage of their farm. In the 1920s the cider mill was built and John Wilkens took the cider that he made down to New York City and sold it as hard cider during Prohibition.

Using the money made from selling cider, John and Anna Wilkens paid off their mortgage to Jeremiah Murphy and fully gained ownership of the land in 1926."

Today the farm continues mainly as a Pick-Your-Own and Choose-and-Cut farm with peaches, plums, nectarines, pears, over 40 varieties of apples, pumpkins, and Douglas and Fraser Fir Christmas trees available for harvest....Barbara Keller Wilkens still resides on the farm and Barbie Wilkens Pratt and Randy Pratt currently operate the farm with the help of both 3rd and 4th generation family members.

The site is also filled with antique farming equipment for those of us who can't get enough of that!

For more about Wilkens:  1335 White Hill Rd - Yorktown Heights, New York 10598 - Get Directions (914) 245-5111 www.wilkensfarm.com

p.p.s. The return trip home meant a stop in Croton's  A&S Fine Foods for the best sweet sausage--(without fennel!) and rice pudding.... 

FOR MORE LOCAL JAUNTS YOU MIGHT ENJOY--AND OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT SOME OF THE AREA'S LOCAL FARMS AND MARKETS--AND CROTON BUSINESSES TOO---CLICK HERE

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