Gordon Mead purchased a diversified 100 acre farm in Tivoli, which included a small dairy, chickens, and hogs, with a variety of grain and fruit crops. Soon he began shipping apples in barrels to NYC down the Hudson River by boat. At that time, the farm was known as White Clay Creek Orchards - named for the creek that meandered through the property. It wasn't until the late 1980's that the name wa
s changed to Mead Orchards. When Gordon's son, Sid, took over the farm in 1959 he specialized in wholesale apple crops, planting many new varieties. Sid's son, Chuck, worked with his father for more than 20 years before he began managing the farm in the 80's. Gradually Chuck added new apple varieties, pears, peaches, plums, apricots, and nectarines. In the 90's he began shifting his focus toward retail markets and added berries, cherries, pumpkins, sweet corn, squash, tomatoes, peppers, and more. Now rather than shipping down the river like his great grandfather did, Chuck and his helpers bring their goods to farmers markets in Rhinebeck, Pleasantville, Ossining, Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow, Yorktown, and White Plains. Visitors of the farm can also pick their own strawberries, blueberries, plums, cherries, peaches, and apples during the season. All three generations of Mead men attended Cornell College of Agriculture and Chuck continues to study safe, effective, and innovative methods of raising these crops. We are certified by the IPM Institute of North America and through Red Tomato's protocols we've grow Eco Apples and Eco Peaches since 2015. Read more about Integrated Pest Management (IPM) here: https://ipminstitute.org/what-is-integrated-pest-management/
Read more about Red Tomato and their Eco Apples/Peaches protocols here: http://www.redtomato.org/eco/
