Jessica and new New Paltz High School graduate Mackenzie also work full-time at the farm, doing bookkeeping, running the all-day, everyday farm market, the pick-your-owns and the multitude of farm markets and festivals that the Wrights attend. “Whatever we do, we do it big!” said Mackenzie. “Like my mother’s heirloom tomatoes: We spent the entire winter with grow-lights in our basement, and wondered why we were never questioned by the police!” she says with a laugh.
When Tammy wants something, her husband Mike can only oblige. “I wanted heirloom vegetables, and we have thousands of them; I wanted strawberries because I couldn’t get enough, and now we have an entire acre of them…I love being on the farm because I can be creative — whether painting signs, growing new produce, reaching new markets and hosting things like the Cupcake Festival. Every day is different!”
“I love working on the farm because there’s no dress code,” joked Colin. “I love working on the farm because of our trademark logo that I invented,” jokes Mike Boylan. “We Do It Wright, in the Fields!”
Sitting quietly behind us was Papa Ted, the only one of ten children to come back to the farm and build it back up to the profitable and dynamic place that it is today. “Why do I love my job? Look at that seat, and that seat and that seat! I’m with all of the people I love the most, and we get to work together every day, growing great produce, troubleshooting and being in each other’s company.”
Mike takes us out on a tour of the 500-acre farm and points to all of the spots where people can come in and do a quick “pick-your-own” or have the complete liberty of walking the farm, finding an isolated spot by a pond and sunbathing, picnicking, cycling, jogging…just enjoying the beauty of the land, the natural ecosystems and scenic views. “We encourage our customers to go off the beaten trail, to explore our farm, enjoy its beauty and relax, picnic, have some personal time or solitude. They’re always respectful of the land, clean up after themselves, pay whatever their apple-picking fees are; and I’m just delighted that they got to spend some time to relax and get away from it all!”
The Wrights are a tight-knit family who laugh, love, market their wares, experiment, enlarge their offerings and always “put the customer first,” said Mackenzie. “We all make memories here together. Our friends, boyfriends, family friends work on the farm or come to the farmstand every day!”
They have followers who track them to every farm market and festival that they attend. Grandpa Ted is also a creative genius who arranges all of the flowers, gourds, apple bins, pumpkins and cornstalks outside the market to create a cornucopia of beauty and enticement.
“Everything we sell, produce, bake is made from scratch, utilizing only the products we grow on our farm. Whether it’s pies, cider donuts, pasta sauce, jams, maple syrup…it’s all from the labors of our farm,” says Tammy.
This is one farm that you don’t want to overlook or pass by. To learn more, go to www.eatapples.com or call 255-5300.
Read more about farms on the Hudson Valley Apple Trail on Ulster Publishing’s newpaltzx.com.
