The garden at Tilly Foster Farm and Educational Institute is producing such bounty that its farm stand will now be open six days a week, Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell announced.
“Come for the fresh vegetables, stay for the experience,” County Executive Odell said. “This farm is a showcase of life in the Hudson Valley. Visitors can see the garden where their vegetables were grown.
Families can introduce their children to farm animals including pygmy goats and miniature Sardinian donkeys. They can hike the trails and see Putnam County’s beautiful rolling hills.”
The three-quarter acre garden is fenced, and people can walk along the paths to see what’s growing. It has already produced several orders of vegetables and herbs that are sold at market rate to Tilly’s Table-the restaurant based at the county-owned farm.
This is the garden’s fifth growing season, said Farm Assistant Lisa Walker, and every year it only gets better. This year, the farm stand had a special spot at the Putnam County Country Fest and 4-H Showcase in mid-July and it was so popular, the veggies all sold out.
“People want fresh, local and homegrown,” Walker said. “We supply that as well as a beautiful
destination to visit.”
Growing crops on the farm has been part of the agricultural plan for Tilly Foster since Putnam County took over management of the property in 2014. The farm is open for visitors every day. The farm stand is closed on Mondays.
For more information, see putnamcountyny.com and check out the Tilly Foster Farm Facebook page.