Where Gumbo Was #507
The Queens County Farm Museum is a bit of a surprise, even to native New Yorkers. In a city that largely went out of the farming business decades to centuries ago, it is the oldest continuously farmed land in New York State, celebrating 325 years of farming.
Now operated by the New York City Parks Department, it continues in full agricultural production through all four seasons, as well as welcoming visitors, especially school groups that come to tour the farm and take part in educational programs. It's also one of the few museums in New York City with no admission charge!
Started in 1697 by the Adriance family, the 47-acre farm passed through the hands of a number of families, eventually becoming largely a fruit-and-vegetable truck farm, before the last farmers sold it in 1926 to a real estate developer, which might have marked the end of the line except for an unusual circumstance.
The farm, along Little Neck Parkway in the Glen Oaks neighborhood, is not that far from the state's Creedmoor Psychiatric Hospital. The hospital bought the land from the developer as a resource to grow food for the hospital's patients and to involve some of them in farming as occupational therapy. That kept the farm going until 1975, when it was turned over to Parks to become a museum.
The first image above shows how close the farm is to 'urban civilization,' but as you wander, you almost never notice anything outside the farm. I'd meant to visit for years, but only finally got around to it earlier this month, rather than in the busier spring and summer seasons, which I'll be sure to go back for!
The first building you come to is the 1750s Adriance family farmhouse, added to over the years on the back and sides. It's open for tours on weekends. Across from it is a small building that connects to two greenhouses, and contains the farm shop, with books and gifts, mostly food-centered. In season, there's also a farmstand at the side of the house.
One of several picnic areas along the farm road, mostly used by school groups
There's plenty of vintage farm equipment around the grounds to satisfy any antiquarian desires, but the farm is also equipped with up-to-date machinery that can be seen at work, including hauling the museum's hay-ride wagon.
But of course, no farm is really a farm without cute, or maybe at least picturesque, animals. Below, one of two particularly porky pigs sheltering against a shed, a curious llama and well, we wouldn't want to steer you wrong, those are no bulls.
The large barn is a reconstruction that houses indoor events; below it an original small cow barn, clearly not for a large herd! To avoid confusion, the farm's posted a clever-if-you-like-puns sign. And to avoid unwanted animals, an owl to act as a scarecrow.
Beyond a set of raised planting beds, the road winds around through the remains of the summer crop. In addition to regular staff, there are a number of programs, including a farm camp, to give youngsters an agricultural experience.
Wildflowers along the road...
The Queens Farm is also home to the largest single apiary in New York City, with over two million bees. Signs nearby point out that nearly 80% of all food crops rely on bees for pollination.
While New York City is largely out of the farming business, despite the recent growth of rooftop and hydroponic growers, New York State is still a major agricultural state. A series of signs along a fence point out that there are nearly seven million acres of farmland in the state. For us urban folks to imagine it, the sign points out that it is the equivalent of 5.3 million football fields.
A few more stats: 96% of state farms are family-owned, 38% of them run by women, among the 58,000 farmers in New York. And the state is in the top five nationally in production of dairy, apples, maple, cabbage, grapes, cherries, squash, green peas and wine.
One feature of the Queens Farm that's probably unique: A small cabin serves as a reading room where you can take a break, enjoy a comfy chair and an assortment of farm and food-related readin.
The Queens County Farm Museum is open from 10 to 5 seven days a week. For more information, including daily and special events, check its website.
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