Summer on the Farm
As summer rolls along, so do things at Smolak Farms. The crops so far this year have been amazing, and we expect them to be that way for the rest of the year. We had an appraisal done of the peaches a few days ago, and it is the largest crop we have ever had! The apples look like they are in line with the peaches, and have had a good year in terms of minimal insects and disease which has cut down our use of control methods. The CSA, which has doubled since last year, has been well received, and full of beautiful produce.
The blueberries are still very heavy on the bushes, so come on down and pick them! High bush blueberries are just as sweet as the wild ones but turn blue earlier and sometimes get picked before they are fully ripe. Summer raspberries have slowed down, but the fall crop is ramping up with black raspberries and the more unusual yellow ones.
We have two Whim Dinners scheduled, and we’re really excited to welcome those back to the farm. It’s understandably been a challenging year to bring restaurants on board, as many are still closed or trying to re-adjust to a new normal. We expect and hope that next year that program will return to normal!
New Offerings at Smolak
We’re working hard to adjust existing programs, or create new programs entirely, that are both safe and enjoyable for our customers. We recently started booking birthday parties again, have introduced guided walking tours of the farm, and have also started to offer hop-on hayride tours, which are like our popular hayrides but even more involved. We’re also working on a revamped activity plan for the farm animal area.
Speaking of animals, as a result of some donations we are adding a few Cows and Golden and Lady Amherst Pheasants to our farm family. The pheasants will cohabitate with the peafowl and the cows with the larger animals. We will essentially be raising these in concert with a local dairy farm.
Our events director has started to offer “Minimonies,” which are simply a scaled down version of our our regular wedding offering to conform to the current standards of safety. Before COVID struck, we were due to have our largest wedding season ever, and are hoping we’ll get back there for next year.
As we look towards the fall, we are looking to fill some important positions around the farm. Many of these are of a part time and/or weekend nature. Take a peek at our Facebook page if you’re interested, or know someone who might be a good fit!
It has been a trying year so far, and there are likely more hurdles to come, but we’re doing our best to offer a pleasant space for our customers to get out and enjoy a slice of summer. Thank you for your continued support, and we hope you stay safe and well.
With gratitude,
Michael Smolak