The 2011 season is almost over. It was a terrible season for us growers. The spring practically did not exist. We lost all of our cherries, apricots and most of our plums early in the season. We had about 50% of a peach crop. We fared out better than some of the other stone fruit growers, most of them lost everything. Poor guys. I hope their families are okay.
Then came Hurricane Irene. Wow. She caused us to loose most of our fall crops, our pumpkins and about 4 thousand trees in total. Some were torn out of the ground. Some were pushed over and some were just so broken up that we will have to push them out completely.
Because of the hurricane the orchard was left too dangerous to allow pick your own to the public. It also prevented us from setting up and operating our haunted hayrides.
So, since the hurricane we have averaged 3 days of rain a week. I’m worried about root rot for those trees that did survive the pounding caused by Irene.
Be prepared for prices in your supermarkets to rise. There really isn’t much to harvest along the east coast.
Just a personal little complaint. Something that has been bothering me since the Hurricane. I cannot tell you the amount of people who are mad at us and my fellow farmers because we lost our crops. BELIEVE ME. We are far more upset about this than you could ever imagine. This is our livelihood. How we pay our bills, and support our children and put food on our tables. And yes, this is how we can determine if it is worth doing this for another year. Sorry you are mad. I’m pretty mad too and there isn’t anything I can do about it.
Not sure if there will be a Davis Peach Farm next season or not. I will still work all winter long in the orchard tending to the trees like I always do. But this winter will be much harder for me. Usually when I’m freezing out there I get by thinking of the happy faces on my customers when they taste the fruit that I worked all year to grow. This year is gonna be tough, so many complaints about the lack of fruit. So many people yelling and screaming because they wanted to pick. I actually had a woman yelling at me demanding to know what us farmers did wrong because she couldn’t find apples left on anyone’s trees. My response was simple. “, We had a Hurricane mam, and we all forgot to put the protective Hurricane Proof Domes over our crops.”
This year when I am out there with my chainsaw it is going to be harder than ever to get through the work and the cold because this year I am afraid that I have lost hope.
A delicious cross between a plum and an apricot. ery early in the season.
We raise over 30 varieties of Nectarines, both Yellow and White Fleshed and at my last count over 50 different kinds of Plums.
We grow Apples, Red Raspberries, Yellow Raspberries, Black Raspberries, Blackberries, Strawberries, Blueberries, Gooseberries, Currants, Figs, Apricots, Tomatoes and some Vegetables.
Our goats are getting real big, we are milking two everyday and hoping to make goat cheese next year.
I was thinkng today of ways to increase the farm and am looking for suggestions. What would you like to see us grow? Contact us through the website and give me some ideas. I realize that in order for our farm to survive we have to continue to please you. You have the power to make or break Long Island Farmers.
Always remember one thing. 
This is not just a job, and not just a family business. This is a way of life, and sadly one that isn’t recognized as being important any more in our society.
I hope that we can continue to farm on Long Island for at least another hundred years, but I know that will not happen. All of us farmers are dying off, or being forced to sell, or being put out of business.
This profession is an honorable one. You would have a hard time finding another profession with as much culture, history and pride as the farmer.
Sunset approaches over the Orchard in April
I would love to see you all come down to our Orchard and the farm stand. If you live near a farm, go visit them. Look at the quality of the products offered. Ask for recipes. Most importantly take the time to understand a time honored tradition before it is lost forever.
Come over and enjoy the orchard, buy from the farm stand, visit the farm animals. Make special memories with your own family down on Our Farm! We’ll be waiting for you!
Here are a few of the plums that we grow.
We are open from July through October most years.
Mr. Davis in fron of his donut peaches during bloom seaason.