Sunday, October 7, I had the privilege to participate in Dutchess County Tourism Farm Fresh Tour. A joint effort of Metro-North and Dutchess County Tourism.
This particular tour was titled:
The Perfect Trio! FALL HARVEST WINE, CHEESE & APPLE PICKING WEEKEND
Visitors from NYC boarded Metro North Train at Grand Central to Poughkeepsie (photo top left). Where the Dutchess County Farm Fresh Tour shuttle (photo top right) awaited them for a day-long celebration of the fall harvest of wines, local cheeses, and apples.
The 1st stop was: Sprout Creek Farm a model of sustainable agriculture, also known for its artisanal cheeses lovingly produced by a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America.
At the Market & Creamery we sampled 9 different variety of cheeses, 8 hard and 1 soft. Sprout Creek’s cheeses are all about soil, seasons, grasses, and happy cows! Grass-fed Jersey, Guernsey, Milking Shorthorn and Brown Swiss cows.
Besides cows, there are goats, lots and lots of friendly goats.
There are also chickens and ducks and turkeys. And more chickens and ducks and turkeys.
The 2nd stop was: exploring the charming Village of Millbrook known for its rolling hills and horse farms.
Millbrook is also home to many eateries. I had lunch at Aurelia. The salad was the perfect pairing to my ham & cheese panini.
Originally I was going to lunch at the Diner (photo top left) but it was packed.
Photo top right, don’t you just love the name of this hair salon?
The above is one of the many gift shops and antique stores Millbrook is known for. The “Open” sign at left, belongs to the above antique store, I thought it was so unique.
On Saturdays, you can shop at the Millbrook Farmers’ Market with 20 vendors featuring their delicious locally-grown produce and fine food specialties.
A must visit is Millbrook Tribute Garden Park. The park was created by the Millbrook Garden Club and planted with trees, shrubs and flowers native to our country.
Millbrook Tribute Garden Park
The park is dedicated as a tribute and memorial to the soldiers and sailors who went from the Township of Washington to the world wars.
In this thoughtfully planned park, there is also a “Happy Playground” for children.
A small but beautifully laid out and well designed garden at the entrance of the Tribute Garden Park.
The 3rd stop was: the Millbrook Vineyards & Winery Located in a renovated Dutch-hip dairy barn with views of it 130-acre estate. The winery produces high-caliber wines using classical French and Italian wine making techniques.
You can also have your own personalized wine label, how cool is that! The private label wine served at Walkway Over the Hudson Starry, Starry Night was produced at the winery.
Guided tour of this award-winning winery was part of the package. Wine tasting also available for an additional $8 per person. The 4 wines tasted on that day were all New York State wines. The chair in the photo below was made from wine barrels.
The 4th and final stop was: Terhune Orchards, a 70 year old family-owned and operated farm in Salt Point.
When we arrived at the orchards we were greeted with a warm and glowing bonfire.
Also there to welcome us were, left to right, Jan Cezch, owner of Tehune Orchards; Lydia Higginson, orgainzer of Farm Fresh Tours; and Roger Roth a friend of Jan.
Above top photo is Grandpa’s little helper.
One can wander the 70 acres of fruit trees and vegetables. Take a hayride, pick your own apples (not this year) and marvel at the incredible open-space vistas. The market features preserves, butters, spreads, pies, donuts, breads and much more.
What a great way to educate people about how food grows, where it comes from and build relationships between dutchess county producers and New York City folks.
The shuttle stayed with the group the whole day, transporting us to the various locations and brought us back to the Poughkeepsie Train Station for the return trip home.
It was an incredible day-trip, the perfect one-day getaway from the New York City area. Everyone, including the many well-behaved children, had a wonderful time.
Dutchess County Fresh Farm Tours are a series of, summer and fall, weekend day trips offered through the joint effort of Metro-North and Dutchess County Tourism and have brought over 5000 people up from NYC on these tours over the last 5 years.
Check back in June, 2013 on dutchesstourism website for info on 2013 tours.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Copyright © by Norma Chang. All Rights Reserved. Do not use/repost any photos and/or articles without permission.
Garden to Wok 
What a wonderful day. It all looks so fabulous. I would have loved to have joined you on this excursion xx
Hello Charlie,
It was a most wonderful day. May be some day you will have the opportunity to visit New York and the beautiful Hudson Valley, make sure to let me know if you do visit.
I hope you had a glass of wine for me. 😉
Hello FC,
Would you believe I did not have a drop?????
OUTRAGEOUS! 😉
Norma, you said it all in your concluding statements: “It was an incredible day-trip, the perfect one-day getaway …”
This is something I definitely would have enjoyed.
Hello John,
I think you definitely would. The Hudson Valley is really gorgeous.
Such an inviting your my friend, a great day out 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Hello Uru,
It was a great day and the weather cooperated.
It looks like you had a lovely day, was it recently? If so, I’m glad Sandy didn’t do too much damage, High Park and area have so many broken trees.
Did you get any frogs?
Hello Eva,
It was early October. A lovely day and the weather cooperated, overcast but no rain, a typical October day. Don’t know if there was any damage from Sandy, I assume not since there was no mention in the news, no news is good news. No I did not get any frogs. Sorry to learn about the many broken trees in High Park.
Norma, what a fabulous trip! I’d love to have spent my day in a little village like that! So much to see!
Hello Celia,
It was a fabulous trip. Your wish may come true and if and when it does, let me know.
What an adorable little country town. I can just smell the apple pie, coffee and envision people opening the doors for others. A happy place.
Hello Bam,
We have many little country towns like that in the Hudson Valley.
Thank you for taking us along, even if sitting on an office chair 🙂 !
Hello Eha,
Glad you were able to come along for the tour.
Thanks for sharing such great photos!
Hello YC,
You are welcome.
What a fun event and one filled to the brim with a little bit of everything! Sounds like a day that I would greatly enjoy, and thanks for sharing.
Hello B and B,
I think you will enjoy the outing, it was a lot of fun.
oh wow! That looks like so much fun!! It also sounds like a great learning experience for the visitors!! And of course us foodies 🙂
Hello Sammie,
Many of the visitors on the tour were so excited, that was their first time on a farm.
Sounds like a fun day…you have so many great places to visit in your area.
Hello Karen,
Yes, it was a really fun day. I think we have many similar great places in the Hudson Valley as you do in New Hampshire.
Looks like a really fun event! 🙂
Hello Kristi,
Thanks for stopping by. Yes, it was a super fun event.
What a fun way to spend a fall day. Mike and I would love this as a date day. 🙂
Hello Kristy,
I agree, it would be a lovely date day for you and Mike.
There’s something for everyone in this post Norma. I’d take the personalized wine labels any day!
Hello Barb,
Yes, there was something for everyone. Do the wineries in Ontario offer personalized wine labels?