Instead of taking the easy route and picking up a pumpkin at Whole Foods, Steve and I decided to make an outing of it. We got in the car and drove up to Fishkill Farms in Hudson Valley, a beautiful, family-owned farm just over an hour north of New York City. The farm is known for its scenic surroundings, apple orchards, and organic produce.
Fishkill Farms has been around for more than 100 years and is still owned by the same family, the Morgenthaus, who founded it back in 1913. These days, they grow most of their crops following organic principles, and the farm is especially popular in the fall when visitors come to pick apples, shop for pumpkins, and enjoy freshly pressed cider and donuts straight from the farm store.
We visited the weekend before Halloween, which is probably one of the busiest weekends of the year, and it was packed. We had planned to sit down with warm apple cider and a couple of cider donuts, but the line was so long that we gave up after a few minutes. Instead, we took a quick walk around, found a beautiful pumpkin, and headed back home. Fishkill Farms is a wonderful place, but if you really want to take it all in, I’d recommend going on a weekday or during a quieter weekend when it’s not quite as crowded.
We carved a nice pumpkin and made a delicious snack, Harissa Roasted Pumpkin Seeds:
Recipe: Harissa Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
