A Hudson Valley Almanac day-trip guide
Up in the northeast corner of the region, hard against the Vermont line, Washington County is farm country in the deepest sense — covered-bridge dairy farms worked by the same families for six generations, a wild-trout river running through the middle of it, fiber mills spinning local wool, and New York's oldest pick-your-own orchard. The Battenkill Valley is quieter and more agricultural than almost anywhere else in these guides, and that's the whole appeal. Here's a loop through Greenwich, Salem, Cambridge, and Granville.
Start in Greenwich, the valley's hub. Hand Melon Farm on Route 29 is a historic 425-acre family farm famous for the Hand Melon — a cantaloupe three generations of presidents and celebrities have sought out — with U-pick berries in season and a market across from the fairgrounds. For fiber folks, Battenkill Fibers is a worsted spinning mill that processes wool for shepherds across the Northeast (farmers always get their own fiber back), and beekeepers will want to see Betterbee, a nationally known supply and education center. If it's Wednesday, the Greenwich Farmers' Market runs year-round on Main Street.
Head east to Salem, where the dairy runs deep. Battenkill Valley Creamery is a fifth-generation farm that bottles its own milk on-site — award-winning whole milk, cream, and buttermilk in glass bottles, plus ultra-premium homemade ice cream, with a farm store open daily. (An ice cream here is non-negotiable.) Nearby, Sheldon Farms has worked the banks of the Battenkill since 1845, known for legendary sweet corn and heirloom potatoes, and Gardenworks Farm is a fourth-generation destination with U-pick berries and flowers, a renovated dairy-barn marketplace, and a weekend farm café — a fine spot for lunch.
Drift south to Cambridge, a handsome village with a strong arts streak and one of the largest rural markets around: the Cambridge Valley Farmers' Market runs producer-only, year-round, on Sunday mornings. Bernard Farm keeps a roadside stand on Route 22 (Thursday–Sunday).
Cambridge is also your gateway to the river itself. The Battenkill is widely regarded as one of the finest wild-trout streams in the eastern U.S. — clear, cold, and lined with public access points — and Battenkill Valley Outdoors has been renting canoes, kayaks, and tubes (with shuttles) since 2003. An hour on the water is the perfect midday break, and the quiet country roads here are made for cycling past the covered bridges.
Drive north to Granville and Hicks Orchard — New York's oldest pick-your-own, a family tradition since 1905, now in its 121st season, with 24-plus apple varieties, apple-wood-fired pizza, cider donuts, barnyard animals, and weekend live music. On the same property, Slyboro Ciderhouse makes award-winning hard ciders, ice ciders, and apple brandy from estate heritage apples, with a tasting room doing cider-and-cheese pairings. It's the ideal way to close a farm day — orchard, pizza, and a glass of something serious, all in one stop.
The markets vary by day — Greenwich is Wednesday, Cambridge is Sunday, Salem is Saturday — so build around whichever you want. Several farm stores (Sheldon, Gardenworks) are seasonal, roughly mid-May into October, and Hicks Orchard's pick-your-own is mostly a fall affair, so check before a long drive. The Battenkill paddling and fishing are warm-weather pursuits. And with breweries and a cidery on the route, bring a designated driver. This is genuinely rural country near the Vermont line, so cell service gets patchy — download directions first.
The full Washington County lineup is on the Almanac: farms & food and craft beverages.
A wild-trout river, covered-bridge dairy farms, the oldest orchard in the state — one very good Saturday.