Sustainable Farming at Stone Ridge Orchard

Each year we get asked whether our crops are organic. Our honest answer is always no. You see, growing a high-quality organic crop of anything, especially in our neck of the woods, is downright difficult. But, not impossible. At Stone Ridge Orchard we've chosen a unique path to ensure that our farming practices are environmentally friendly and our fruit achieves the highest quality. In short, we're using a philosophy to farm the land, not a recipe.

Our sustainable farming practices include:

• detailed monitoring to predict insect or disease problems;
  
• eliminating the use of herbicides;
  
• substituting organic mulches for synthetic fertilizers;
  
• incorporating new, organic pest control materials into our pest management program;
  
• continually innovating and evolving our farming philosophy.
  

We are currently working with Cornell University on two statewide projects investigating new pest control measures and planting systems designed to eliminate the use of conventional pesticides.

Red Tomato Marketing

To ensure our customers that we're doing everything we can, Stone Ridge Orchard was recently certified sustainable by Red Tomato Marketing. Through its certification program, Red Tomato Marketing helps consumers make great food choices, ensuring a healthy future for everyone. Because Red Tomato Marketing's philosophy is that sustainable agriculture can only truly be achieved when an interdependent set of actions and practices are working in concert with one another, the certification program addresses a wide range of environmental, economic and social issues.

Red Tomato Marketing's Guiding Principles are to:

• Protect and conserve soil and water resources
  
• Reduce, if not eliminate, the use of pesticides
  
• Conserve and enhance wildlife habitat
  
• Conserve and recycle nutrients
  
• Provide safe and fair working conditions
  
• Produce crops without genetically modified organisms
  
• Create strong, healthy relationships between farms and communities
  
• Continually improve production practices.
  

What this means for Stone Ridge Orchard

Our Red Tomato Marketing certification does not mean we will be doing anything fundamentally different at Stone Ridge Orchard than we have in the past—we've always practiced sustainable agriculture. Our land stewardship philosophy is about a thought process as much as it is day-to-day operations. We are always looking to the future. We're constantly innovating and pushing the envelope trying to bring us one step further. Over the next few years we will transition even more of the farm to organic. But organic practices are only a part of the process. In fact, we have already started looking at what we feel is the next big leap: biodynamics. Everyone at Stone Ridge Orchard is deeply committed to producing the finest local, sustainably grown crops around. Join us in exploring the future of farming in New York's Hudson Valley. Come Taste the season with us!