Indian Ladder Farms, Altamont, NY

Our first stop on the tour was Indian Ladder Farms, in Altamont, NY (http://www.indianladderfarms.com) .  We were met by owner, Peter Ten Eyck, and he provided a great overview of the operations at his farm.  The farm has been in the Ten Eyck family for 99 years, and he is the third generation farming the land, and one of his children is the fourth generation farmer.  Indian Ladder Farms was the first farm in Albany County to receive the state’s grant to retire the development rights.  The land is preserved, so that no development will ever take pace on this property.

Indian Ladder Farm is primarily an apple orchard, so of course, we did not see fruit on the trees now.  But we did see the work that it takes to ensure that an orchard is prepared for the growing season, and this is an operation that is ongoing throughout the year.

Peter talked about the health and safety issues, including chemicals used, and how the types of chemicals have changed over the years; personal protective equipment; ladder safety; sun exposure; and other issues workers face while working in the orchard.

We walked through the orchard and Peter explained the process of growing apples.  I don’t think we will look at apples the same.  Thanks for a great tour!

PS.  They have GREAT cider donuts!