In fact, the Dressels recently installed a state-of-the-art cooling system, Frigadon, in ten controlled-atmosphere rooms that are sealed tight and can be changed by one-tenth of a degree from Rod Jr.’s phone anywhere in the world. “People think that we freeze the apples, but we don’t,” said Tim. “We put in a controlled cooling system that lowers the oxygen and puts them into hibernation so that they stay fresh.”
While all of that picking, packing, cooling, loading and transporting are going on, there is still a myriad of farm-loving fun going on for locals and visitors, particularly during the harvest season. Strawberry season begins in June and runs through July; then there is peach season, followed by pick-your-own apple and pumpkin season, complete with free hayrides, farm animals, a picnic area and a corn maze.
Like every generation of farmers, Rod Sr. and his wife Ethel, who passed away last year, grew the farm, built the roadside market, added ice cream, cider donuts and pies and the pick-your-own strawberries and apples. The stand was built in 1970, and to complement that they started pick-your-own apples. “The crowds that came were overwhelming!” recalled Rod Sr. “It was wonderful, but we couldn’t handle it. Rod Jr. and our daughter had gone off to college, and it was just Ethel and I.”
They closed for a few years, but once their children returned to the farm from Cornell, they opened it back up, and Rod Sr. created a special pick-your-own orchard that had all of the varieties of apples culled together in a manageable way for visitors to pick and enjoy. Now that Tim and his elder sister Sarah have graduated, they are back on the farm working, while their younger sister is an avid soccer player and a senior at New Paltz High School.
“I love the science behind it,” said Tim. “When I went to school I wasn’t sure that I wanted to be a farmer. But the more I learned and the more I was away from home, I was drawn back in, because the farm provides so many opportunities for me.” In response to those opportunities, Tim retained a hard-earned New York State license to produce and sell brut cider or apple wine, which he hosts tastings for and sells at the orchard. He named the business the Kettleborough Cider House, which was the original name of where the cidery now stands. “I worked with Whitecliff Vineyards and was able to produce a delicious dry apple champagne,” he said. “The Culinary Institute will be using my wine for the upcoming Cider Week. It’s been a lot of fun, and it’s been so well-received.”
Asked what sets them apart from other farms, Rod Sr. said, “Besides the incredible view? It’s being available for our customers; having a laid-back, relaxed family farm atmosphere. We want people to have a real farm experience.” Noting that Dressel’s will not become a farm-carnival, he said, “We love to introduce people to farming, have them learn about it, get fresh produce and enjoy a beautiful relaxing day at our orchard and leave with a smile.”
It’s hard not to leave Dressel’s without a smile on your face, as well as some delicious apples, cider and of course, cider donuts! For more information, go to www.dresselfarms.com or call them at 255-0693.
