Hi-Way Harvest

Farm stands, whether nearby or remote, are literally everywhere. Especially here in the Berkshires, blessed as we are with an abundance of farms of all types and sizes. While finding these stands isn’t always easy, the reward is priceless, the benefits far-reaching. On a road trip through the countryside, one might find sweet corn, aromatic herbs, plump berries, fresh eggs, zesty garlic, hearty zucchini, and festive pumpkins for sale at a lone table, a handcrafted kiosk, or even a solid structure attached to the farmer’s barn, just yards from the fertile land from which it was plucked—most likely that very day.

“The farm stand has an important role to play in shifting how people in the United States feed themselves,” says Barbara Zheutlin, executive director of Berkshire Grown, a nonprofit organization that supports farms, promotes eating locally, and provides the go-to guide for this region’s myriad food producers.

“There was a time when people actually knew where their food came from,” Zheutlin says, tapping her finger thoughtfully on a table scattered with farm information and promotional signs at the Berkshire Grown office in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Berkshire Grown encourages consumers to get to know their food sources; often a stop at a roadside farm stand provides the opportunity to chat with the farmer directly, a benefit that’s hard to find at the grocery store or even at a busy farmers’ market. Frequently one is left alone with the farmer, his bounty, and the occasional whir of a passing car. It’s an opportunity not only to meet growers, but to get off-the-cuff tales of the season’s triumphs and woes.

An unhurried pause at Armstrong Farm in Pownal, Vermont, led to tales from farmer Keith Armstrong about pumpkin thieves, family history, and his new plan to harvest sunflower oil to fuel his tractors. Armstrong’s gentle demeanor and flair for storytelling add a personal touch to the range of maple syrups he offers from inside the cool shelter of the barn, while out front an array of brightly colored produce is for sale. It’s an unassuming yet beautiful display of the fruits of his labor.
“I don’t have tons of cash, but I have land I never dreamed I’d own,” Armstrong says of his farm spanning 207 acres, sixty-eight of which have been in his family since 1868.

Cash-handling at farm stands runs the gamut from a register to a money box to an unmanned canister, each reflecting the personality of the particular farm. There’s a certain charm to a farmer’s hand-scrawled note about the honor system, representing an old-fashioned sense of trust that is refreshing in this era of identity theft. Although, Zheutlin says, “I know a farmer who lost money because of the honor system.” While some farmers put whatever they have available out on the table, others are actually trying to make a living—and the public should respect that. And though there is the occasional dishonest shopper, farmers count on the fact that their customers are a part of their community and want to support their neighboring farms.

Berkshire Grown’s online guide lists about twenty farm stands on its interactive map—and, as the primary source for information regarding local produce, this is an excellent start for Berkshire residents and visitors. But take a drive down any of the many routes and byways that snake through the region and you’ll find all sorts of homestead treasures, whether in the rural pastures of Route 23 in Claverack, New York, or the rolling hills of Route 183 in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, or the mountain-backed Route 7 in Williamstown, Massachusetts.

Shaded by a quaint red-and-white awning, the Shortcake Farm stand is set downhill from the swift portion of Route 23, along which the farm itself sprawls in Claverack, New York.

“It’s a lifestyle we like,” Rosalie Jutkofsky says of her farming life with her husband, Joe. Offering berries, plums, potatoes, basil, and an array of vegetables like bell peppers, green tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet corn, and onions, the stand originated as a small structure at the edge of the road, where traffic flies by at upward of fifty-five miles-per-hour. Now it’s housed in a converted trailer, set back under the shelter of a line of trees—complete with a small parking area, making it much easier for visitors to peruse produce at their leisure. The Jutkofskys also offer produce from other local farmers, including garlic, honey, and apples. Rosalie says the stand is open every day except Tuesday in the summer. “And lord help me, if I’m not here, my customers get worried,” she adds.

Perched on a hilltop in tree-shaded West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, Penvenne Farm might be known best for its small wooden structure painted a deep red and flagged by a hand-painted sign reading Fresh Vegetables Ahead. Another small sign names the farmer, Ray Drumm, but it is otherwise unidentified, save for the small labels noting the cucumbers, squash, peppers, and petite pumpkins that rest on the sheltered tabletop.

Other farms employ an array of colorful signage to attract passersby with style. A brightly colored “Open” flag greets travelers on Barker Road in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, inviting them to browse the equally vibrant bouquets of gladioli whose rainbow of blossoms fills the dark green cart that acts as Bittersweet Farm’s roadside stand. The Berry Patch in Stephentown, New York, announces its current offerings boldly—fresh strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries—while smaller signs highlight other goods such as flowers, melons, and vegetables from the farm, plus other locally sourced items like maple syrup, cheese, eggs, and homemade jam. Others rely on animated signs shaped like corncobs or painted with vegetables, underscored by bold arrows directing travelers to the goods.

Flowers, fruits, and vegetables aren’t the only edible treasures found at these places. Many also offer prepared foods, like the pickled treats from Sir William Farm Market in Craryville, New York, or homemade preserves and maple syrup at Armstrong Farm in Pownal. Nestled in Lakeville, Connecticut, the small shed at Whippoorwill Farm offers raw honey, beef jerky, and naturally raised meats like beef, pork, and chicken. Even coolers of fresh eggs can be found on back roads like Seekonk Cross in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.

It’s hard to resist the temptation to snack on fresh produce plucked from the roadside stand, but if these items make it home uneaten, then shoppers can take farm-to-table into their own hands, forming farm-fresh feasts the way they should—with hours-old ingredients that came along with a farmer’s tale. [AUGUST 2010]

Berkshire Living assistant editor Alison McGee tends to take the “scenic route” to discover hidden treasures like roadside farm stands along the way—the smaller and more remote, the better.

THE GOODS

Armstrong Farm
Keith & Janice Armstrong
Route 7
Pownal, Vt.
802.442.6715

Berkshire Grown
314 Main St.
Great Barrington, Mass.
413.528.0041

The Berry Patch
15589 NY Route 22
Stephentown, N.Y.
518.733.1234

Bittersweet Farm
David Halley
973 Barker Rd.
Pittsfield, Mass.
413.499.0200

Chenail’s Farm Fresh Products
877 Simonds Rd./Route 7
Williamstown, Mass.
413.458.4737

Lakeview Orchard
94 Old Cheshire Rd.
Lanesborough, Mass.
413.448.6009

Overmeade Gardens
940 East St.
Lenox, Mass.
413. 446.3612

Penvenne Farm
Ray Drumm
43 Interlaken Rd./Route 183
West Stockbridge, Mass.
413.298.4641

Shortcake Farm
Joe & Rosalie Jutkofsky
Route 23B
Claverack, N.Y.
518.851.7676

Silamar Farm
Route 22
Millerton, N.Y.
518.789.3067

Whippoorwill Farm
Allen & Robin Cockerline
189 Salmon Kill Rd.
Lakeville, Conn.
860.435.2089