Little Apple Farm is a lovingly restored heirloom apple orchard on Orchard Lane in Hillsdale, NY. We planted a second orchard of cider apple varieties in 2017 at Thompson Finch Farm in Ancram, NY. Both orchards are NOFA-NY certified organic. We grow more than 15 apple varieties as well as Quince and Chinese Chestnuts. All of our apples are used in the production of fresh and hard cider. We can't think of a more enjoyable and rewarding occupation than to plant and grow apple trees, unless it's making cider from the fruit of those trees. We do both here at Little Apple Farm and Cidery, grow apples and produce cider, because it's all about the apples and not just any apples.
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Ron's Orchard Update
Summer 2023
It looked like a bumper crop this spring: heavy bloom, good fruit set, even thinking about thinning. But on May 18th the temperature dropped unexpectedly to 24 degrees, something that has not happened in the 43 years I’ve been growing apples in Hillsdale. Wiped out the crop in the Ancram cider orchard too. The first half of 2023 will be remembered for the “big freeze”, a wake-up call about climate change and a reminder that farmers are human, anything that can happen does and alters your life. Even without apples, the amount of work in the orchard is the same, except that you are growing wood instead of fruit. We are now looking to buy in and forage for apples this fall.
When adversity strikes, keep planning and planting. This summer we’ll be laying out the new pear orchard. Two years ago Full Circus Farm grafted and planted six perry pear trees in their nursery, and they will be ready to transplant this fall. Mark and Miriam also connected us with a couple who have an old growth pear orchard in Pine Plains, where the fruit has been promised for next season. Still looking for a site to plant some Cornus Mas, which makes a surprisingly good cider. From farmer to farmer, “Life is short. Don’t waste it, and spread love where you go!”
It looked like a bumper crop this spring: heavy bloom, good fruit set, even thinking about thinning. But on May 18th the temperature dropped unexpectedly to 24 degrees, something that has not happened in the 43 years I’ve been growing apples in Hillsdale. Wiped out the crop in the Ancram cider orchard too. The first half of 2023 will be remembered for the “big freeze”, a wake-up call about climate change and a reminder that farmers are human, anything that can happen does and alters your life. Even without apples, the amount of work in the orchard is the same, except that you are growing wood instead of fruit. We are now looking to buy in and forage for apples this fall.
When adversity strikes, keep planning and planting. This summer we’ll be laying out the new pear orchard. Two years ago Full Circus Farm grafted and planted six perry pear trees in their nursery, and they will be ready to transplant this fall. Mark and Miriam also connected us with a couple who have an old growth pear orchard in Pine Plains, where the fruit has been promised for next season. Still looking for a site to plant some Cornus Mas, which makes a surprisingly good cider. From farmer to farmer, “Life is short. Don’t waste it, and spread love where you go!”
Spring 2023
Spring wraps up pruning our two orchards and begins preparation for the 2023 season. We finish pruning the Hillsdale Orchard first and then head down to the new Ancram Orchard - a total of about 800 trees. People ask, “How do you do it?” Meaning so many trees and how do you prune them. I rely on my years of experience and help from Don and Marnie MacLean at Thompson Finch Farm and my pruner in training Lisa Graedon. It helps to start early February and finish by April 1st, which didn’t quite happen this year. We finally wrapped it up just before the first organic spray, dormant oil. We planted six new Liberty trees this year, including four for our new entrance arch leading from the parking area to the Orchard Bar and Market.
Spring wraps up pruning our two orchards and begins preparation for the 2023 season. We finish pruning the Hillsdale Orchard first and then head down to the new Ancram Orchard - a total of about 800 trees. People ask, “How do you do it?” Meaning so many trees and how do you prune them. I rely on my years of experience and help from Don and Marnie MacLean at Thompson Finch Farm and my pruner in training Lisa Graedon. It helps to start early February and finish by April 1st, which didn’t quite happen this year. We finally wrapped it up just before the first organic spray, dormant oil. We planted six new Liberty trees this year, including four for our new entrance arch leading from the parking area to the Orchard Bar and Market.
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Winter 2022
The first snowstorm arrived on December 11th. Growing up in Wisconsin, I learned to love winter and sub-zero temperatures at an early age. The orchard loves it too. Besides insulating the root system, snow brings nutrients to the soil. In spring you can see the difference in the vitality of the trees. I’m hoping for lots of snow this year. I enjoy seeing our raptors (mostly red-tailed hawks and owls) dive bomb mice and voles tunneling under a foot of snow. If you don’t have a high raptor tree in your orchard, definitely build a flagpole type perch. Also, get ready for the pruning season starting late January early February. Sharpen saws and Felco #7 shears. I use the old Orchard pruning saw, now hard to find but still the best. Finish pruning by end of March, and start planting new trees as soon as the ground thaws in April. It's never too late to love winter.
The first snowstorm arrived on December 11th. Growing up in Wisconsin, I learned to love winter and sub-zero temperatures at an early age. The orchard loves it too. Besides insulating the root system, snow brings nutrients to the soil. In spring you can see the difference in the vitality of the trees. I’m hoping for lots of snow this year. I enjoy seeing our raptors (mostly red-tailed hawks and owls) dive bomb mice and voles tunneling under a foot of snow. If you don’t have a high raptor tree in your orchard, definitely build a flagpole type perch. Also, get ready for the pruning season starting late January early February. Sharpen saws and Felco #7 shears. I use the old Orchard pruning saw, now hard to find but still the best. Finish pruning by end of March, and start planting new trees as soon as the ground thaws in April. It's never too late to love winter.
Fall 2022
Almost all of our early dessert apples (Williams Pride, Macintosh, Big Red, Macoun) were stressed by the severe drought this summer and dropped off prematurely. We use these varieties for our 100% Organic Fresh Cider so production was severely curtailed and limited to sales at the Copake Hillsdale Farmers Market and the Orchard Bar. Our later bearing hard cider fruit faired better, swelled up nicely after late summer rains and produced a reasonable crop - especially the Golden Russet, Jonagold and Baldwin. It was an off year for Northern Spy. The Ancram Orchard produced its first crop of GoldRush and Enterprise with a number of other cider varieties coming on line in the next few years. It wasn’t the best year for apple production, but perhaps a vintage year for cider due to the exceptionally high sugar content in most varieties.
Almost all of our early dessert apples (Williams Pride, Macintosh, Big Red, Macoun) were stressed by the severe drought this summer and dropped off prematurely. We use these varieties for our 100% Organic Fresh Cider so production was severely curtailed and limited to sales at the Copake Hillsdale Farmers Market and the Orchard Bar. Our later bearing hard cider fruit faired better, swelled up nicely after late summer rains and produced a reasonable crop - especially the Golden Russet, Jonagold and Baldwin. It was an off year for Northern Spy. The Ancram Orchard produced its first crop of GoldRush and Enterprise with a number of other cider varieties coming on line in the next few years. It wasn’t the best year for apple production, but perhaps a vintage year for cider due to the exceptionally high sugar content in most varieties.
Summer 2022
"How's the apple crop this season?" This is the number one question I hear these days. The answer is pretty good, but not great. Some of our older heirloom apple trees like McIntosh, Macoun, Northern Spy and Jonagold have gone biannual instead of producing a consistent crop. Other varieties like Baldwin, Golden Russet, Liberty and Enterprise are doing just fine. After five years, we are expecting to get some fruit from our second orchard in Ancram at Thompson Finch Farm. We have managed to keep the gypsy moth invasion at bay so far. The forests surrounding Little Apple Farm (especially the oak trees) are taking a beating. A strong north wind will blow them into the orchard and I've been capturing them by hand. Stop by the cidery and I'll try to answer any questions you might have about your backyard apple trees.
"How's the apple crop this season?" This is the number one question I hear these days. The answer is pretty good, but not great. Some of our older heirloom apple trees like McIntosh, Macoun, Northern Spy and Jonagold have gone biannual instead of producing a consistent crop. Other varieties like Baldwin, Golden Russet, Liberty and Enterprise are doing just fine. After five years, we are expecting to get some fruit from our second orchard in Ancram at Thompson Finch Farm. We have managed to keep the gypsy moth invasion at bay so far. The forests surrounding Little Apple Farm (especially the oak trees) are taking a beating. A strong north wind will blow them into the orchard and I've been capturing them by hand. Stop by the cidery and I'll try to answer any questions you might have about your backyard apple trees.
178 Orchard Lane, Hillsdale, NY 12529
Saturdays & Sundays 1-6 PM
(917) 287-6339
Saturdays & Sundays 1-6 PM
(917) 287-6339
