To our loyal patrons and friends,
It is with great sadness that we are letting you know that we do not anticipate opening Prospect Hill Orchards for Pick Your Own this summer. Our crops of cherries, peaches, apricots and plums have been damaged by the severe weather fluctuations this winter. In January we had several days of 50-degree temperatures followed by freezing cold nights in February when temperatures plummeted to as low as -11 degrees. This crazy weather caused the buds to lose their winter hardiness and they could not survive. This is the worst crop failure the farm has experienced in 56 years. Farming is not for the faint of heart. No matter how hard you work every day to ensure a bountiful crop, you are still dependent upon Mother Nature.
The good news is that apples and pears were not affected, and we anticipate a great fall season in all three locations! We know that you are as disappointed as we are, but next year is “another year” and we will have great crops again!
Keep an eye on our Facebook page, website and newsletter for the most up to date information on our crops. And of course, we will still be at our usual NYC Greenmarkets selling our berries, jams and fresh baked goods.
So, while we will not see you for cherries this June, we hope to see you in the fall. Thank you for understanding the highs and lows of being a farmer.
Sincerely,
Steve, Judy, Pam & Brad Clarke
This is what a peach tree should look like when in bloom.
This is what our peaches looked like this year. The buds were just too damaged to survive.
As you can see, there aren't any peaches on the tree!
Usually, by this time you'd be able to see big, beautiful, dark sweet cherries but there aren't any on the trees!
Prospect Hill Orchards is a seventh generation fruit farm located in Milton, Ulster County, New York on the west side of the Hudson River. We strive to ensure our fruit is of the highest quality and to provide a superior pick-your-own experience.
Sign up to hear from us about best dates for picking, weather updates and more! You can also visit our Facebook and Instagram pages for updates.
Pick-Your-Own cherries have a short picking season and are only available in mid-June to July 4th.
We have many different varieties of peaches: yellow, white and donut! We also have apricots, plums and nectarines.
We have over 30 different varieties of apples as well as Quince, Bosc and Asian Pears!
Discover our pumpkin patch!
Welcome to our farm. We began operating our orchard as a Pick-Your-Own in 1982. Our family has owned and cared for this land for over 200 years. Each year we offer cherries, peaches, pears, and apples in season. Happy Harvesting!
Wish you could have farm fresh produce year-round? Visit us at our NYC Greenmarkets. Find out more here!
Get some farm fresh goodies delivered to your door! Featuring our jams, granolas, and dried apples.
We look forward to meeting you and truly appreciate your business!
- Steve, Judy, Pam and Brad Clarke