By Shawn Dell Joyce

Crisp fall weather is bringing us an abundant harvest of sweet apples this year. In my opinion, the best apples in the world can be found in our region. Hundreds of varieties to please any palate! My personal favorite is Honeycrisp; the sweet, crisp crunch with juice that dribbles down your chin. You haven’t lived until you’ve eaten a Honeycrisp apple fresh from a farm stand.

One of the best places to buy apples this time of year is Soons Orchard in New Hampton. Soons has most every variety grown locally, with minimum spraying, as well as fresh apple cider, pies, donuts, and local foods like milk, cheeses, vegetables and meats. Soons is open year round so you kind buy tasty local apples in the middle of winter.

Soons was founded in 1910 by William Soons and his family, who started out as dairy farmers.  Soons’ son Sinclair begins to wholesale apples just after the Great Depression and has children who grow up to play integral parts in making Soons Orchards a success. Arthur, works with his wife Sandy to grow Soons.  Jeffrey, the attorney who’s office is across from the farmstand, takes over orchard and farm operations.  Laura, and her husband Scott found Scotty’s Country Kitchen in the back of the farmstand where all the pies and donuts are baked. Sharon brings home years of experience as an organizer to make the farm more efficient and profitable.

The Soons family are active in the local community and give back in service as well. Sandy is treasurer for Orange Environment, a nonprofit environmental education group.  “We are honest,” she says, “and we care!”

Soons is very child-friendly with hay mazes and a play area. Families can also pick their own apples on weekends should you want a family outing. This time of year, Soons is bustling with happy customers.

Gardiner boasts half a dozen wonderful orchards that offer fresh, crisp, local apples. Many are located off route 208 before New Paltz. My favorite is Dolan’s Farm where you can get not lonely delicious Honeycrisp apples, but if you’re lucky, a few tales and adventures from the farmer. The farmstand operates seasonally, then moves indoors for the winter and has an honor system store.

Towards Balmville and Newburgh there is Lawrence Farms on Colandrea Road in Newburgh. Lawrence is the perfect farm for children as it has “show chickens” and friendly goats, a “little village” reminiscent of a quaint, old-fashioned farm town, and a hay bale maze for children to run in. This farm also has holiday trees, gifts and wreaths.

There are many wonderful farmstands that sell apples directly in the Wallkill Region. It would be a crime this time of year to buy apples anywhere else. Sadly, most the apples available in grocers and down in New York City are “imported” from Washington State, with the world’s best apples in season just a few minutes away!

Shawn Dell Joyce is the director of the Wallkill River School in Montgomery. www.WallkillRIverSchool.com

Fresh Apple Tart

(Courtesy of Sandy Soons, Soons Orchard, reprinted from Orange County Bounty local foods cookbook available at the Wallkill River School)

8 c peeled, sliced cooking apples (Idareds, Winesaps)

1 c Sugar

1 tsp Cinnamon

2 tsp Lemon Juice

1 tsp zest of lemon

2 tsp cornstarch

3 T chopped nuts

3-4 T raisins

1 pie crust cut into strips

1 egg and 1 tsp. water

Sprinkle sliced apples with lemon juice and lemon zest. Mix sugar, cinnamon and corn starch in a jar, add nuts and raisins, along with contents of the jar to the apples. Mix well. Arrange in an 8” baking dish, layer pie crust strips across the top in a lattice, and brush with egg/water mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for 40-60 mins.

Photography by Rich Gigli

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